Two Halves, One Whole: Troubles
by DigiTails
Summary: Sometimes what happens in the world is beyond our control. Events, emotions, death and the passage of time. But despite our troubles, something good comes from them. Yusuke & Keiko, Hiei & OC, Kurama & OC; sequel to Two Halves, One Whole: Memories
1. Demon Rising

When this takes place 

About a month after this story's prequel, Two Halves One Whole

Heights and Ages at the end of the story 

Shuichi Minamino- 17, 5' 11"

Hiei- looks 17 (real age is undefined), 4' 10"

Yukina- looks 14 (unknown real age), 4' 8"

Yusuke Urameshi- 16, 5' 8"

Keiko Yukimura- 16, 5' 4"

Kazuma Kuwabara- 16, 6' 3"

Youko Kurama- 1, 000+ but looks 15, 7' 0"

Botan- looks 14, 5' 8"

Koenma Daioh- 700+ looks four or sixteen, 1' 6" or 5' 8"

_**The original characters **_

Zaira Tsukari Zaigai "Nuema"- 16, 5' 6"

Delis Nuema- 645, looks 18, 6' 11"

Marishi Anei- looks to be 19, 5' 1"

_**This isn't my character. This one belongs to a friend who is letting me "borrow" her for this story...**_

Shiei- looks 16, 4' 9"

_**Just so you won't get confused later...**_

"blah blah blah"- people saying stuff out loud

"_blah blah blah_"- people thinking stuff

'_blah blah blah_'- telepathic messages, thoughts from inner spirits

_Blah blah blah­_- Narrator's notes, flashbacks, etcetera

!-Blah blah blah-! Beginning and end to chapters

**_Disclaimers- _**I never have claimed to own Yu Yu Hakusho! I never did, still don't, and will never be able to claim that. Yu Yu Hakusho is owned by Yoshihiro Togashi. My OCs, Delis, Zaira, and Marishi belong to me. The other OC, Shiei, belongs to my friend, Hiei-Jaganshi-Lover

!-Chapter One-! Demon Rising

It was a dark night. The air was heavy and thick with the smell of blood. Some might say that anyone outside could probably taste blood on the air. Demons roamed the land, probably because it was demon world. Somewhere in the wretched land of Makai a young ice maiden was being chased. Stray bits of bramble grabbed and ripped at her ice blue kimono. Sweat beaded down her pale face. Her red eyes were widened in fear. Locks of turquoise flowed behind her as she ran.

Trailing behind her was a large group of ogre looking demons and a slimy slithering one.

"Just give us the ice stone, little one. We won't hurt you too much!"

She called out behind herself, but kept running, "No!"

The slimly one cat called at the Koorime, "You can't run forever!"

This was true, she was already exhausted beyond belief. In her hands she was holding something. What it was couldn't really discerned because the only visible part was the fine icy blue-gray bead string wrapped around her clasped hands. However, it could be assumed that it was the afore mentioned ice stone.

Suddenly, she saw it. A way to get away from her pursuers. It was a rip in the space between the human and demon worlds. It was temporary though; once she went through it she couldn't come back. Not like it mattered now. With barely a second through she jumped through the black-rimmed white portal. Five of the demons followed her. The rip in space closed.

The remaining five demons fell dead on the ground. A young adult nearly nineteen stood there. Her pale skin was splattered with dark sickly colored blood. Fiery orange eyes stared coldly at where the rip had been. She muttered a mild oath under her breath, shaking the demonic blood off her thin sword.

All the while in Japan, a teenaged male opened his eyes, startled awake. He rubbed his forehead, mushing thick black bangs into the white cloth covering his forehead. He closed his bright, but pain tainted, red eyes trying very hard not to flinch. Bracing himself against the wooden wall of the temple he was in, he groaned slightly in pain. The sensation seared through him, inflaming all his nerves from the center of his forehead. After a while the pain subsided to a dull throb, and then disappeared.

He stood up and rubbed his forehead off to the side again. Sliding open a shaky wooden door, he walked onto a small wrap-around porch and onto the dirt ground. Walking around he came to a small pond with a half-foot tall rock wall around it. Ripping off the bandana, loose knot coming undone under the force, he crouched down into the water's surface.

He stared into his reflection on the water's surface, mainly into the revealed third eye. The white of the eye was pink near the corners with bloodshot veins and the purple iris was barely bigger then a pinhead.

Then his vision went shaky, he used one hand to hold him up by the rock wall. A scene showed in his head, cast by the jagan eye. His vision went back to normal, jagan eye losing the bloodshot as the iris dilated.

As he stood in a quick motion, he pocketed the bandana. Then he just was quickly disappeared.

Blood splattered on the ground and a nearby tree. The turquoise haired girl fell to the bloody grass. The object she had been carrying tumbled from her hands, kept only relatively nearby from the beaded string hooked around her thumbs. A small cut on her cheek slowly dripped red blood onto the grass, joining the purple blood already splattered there.

She looked up at a pair of sturdy black books, looking up further she saw the boy with the third eye standing over her. Being held loosely in his hand was a katana, covered in the blood from the headless corpse on the ground.

"Mr. Hiei?" She called out tentatively at him.

Staring down at her with a mixture of relief and warmth he nodded and stepped past her. His red eyes became cold as he looked upon the girl's attackers, letting a deep glare fixate on each of them for a moment.

The weasel-like demon stared at Hiei, "So you're after the stone of ice that she carries too! Well, we were here first, so its ours!"

The brutish demons grunted in assertion. Hiei was gone for nearly a second before reappearing where he had been standing moments previous. The demons fell, cleaved cleanly in half.

"_Pathetic lowlifes,_" Was the though that ran across his mind. He turned to face the girl he had recently rescued. She had scrambled up, a slightly amazing feat considering the navy obi sash she wore hindered her movement.

"Mr. Hiei? Where are we?"

"Near Genkai's temple. You should hurry up before more demons find you."

She nodded, "Where is her temple, Mr. Hiei?" As she spoke, weariness finally settled upon her. Her shoulders sagged as he bright eyes closed and her hold on the ice stone loosened. It fell from her hands and clattered to the ground. The stone bounced around a little on the ground and landed on Hiei's boot, the girl falling half a foot from his feet.

Hiei crouched down and picked the stone up. The beads rested on the back of his hand. He lifted his shoulder and spread the fingers of his right hand and stared into the icy depths of the cold crystal on the end of the necklace. He quickly flipped the crystal into his hand and pocked it. Hiei then looked at the girl lying on the ground, "_Yukina._"

With that though, he stood and walked over the ice maiden. Solemnly, Hiei picked Yukina up in his arms. Shifting the girl's body in his arms, he took off through the trees, going back the way he came.

Shortly, he came back to the temple he had been at before. However, now it was more active. Demons were running rampant. They were all lower class and weak, but there were a lot of them. They just seemed to pour out of the forest.

A large ball of spirit energy whistled past Hiei's head, next to his ear and killed a demon that had come up behind Hiei. The fire demon quickly spotted the source of the reigun bullet.

"Detective."

The black haired and red-brown eyes teenaged human Hiei had addressed nodded, "We were wondering where you had gone."

"Who are you talking to Urameshi?" A much taller boy with carrot shaded hair and squinty black eyes broke through a row of demons. He had cut them all in half with a tsurugi shaped out of spirit energy. His sword skills were mediocre and unrefined, as though he had gotten the sword without learning how to swing it. Then he noticed Hiei, then Yukina in said demon's arms.

"Yukina! Hey, what's wrong with Yukina, shorty?"

Yet another boy landed near Hiei. He had lengthy blood red tresses and bright green eyes. In his hand was a thick thorny green whip.

"Kuwabara, this isn't the time. I'm sure Hiei will tell us later," He looked down at Hiei.

"Hn." Hiei just glared at the new comer.

"Yeah, okay Kurama. Now let's kick some demon bootie!" The one called Urameshi aimed a punch at the demon behind himself, killing it. Then he disappeared.

Kurama cracked his whip again, destroying more demons. He then went through the newly made gap. Now it was just Kuwabara and Hiei. Hiei just glared at Kuwabara and jumped through the demons to avoid their attacks, not able to do much else until he could put Yukina down.

Elsewhere on the battlefront, a teenaged female was being beat down. Her sepia hair was soaked in sweat. Her silver eyes narrowed as a demon raised a bladed arm to swing down on her. A green whip tore through the demon's flesh. Dark blood was sent everywhere.

Kurama landed near the girl, quickly identifying the smell of human blood coming from her. Blood ran from an invisible wound on her cheek and soaked through the true blue cloth covering her shoulder and side, yet there wasn't a rip in the cloth.

Kurama quickly slayed the surrounding demons with various plants, "Are you okay, Nuema?"

"Fine. Fine." A hand tightened on a bloodstained katana. She sighed, collecting her wits now that she had a moment. She opened her eyes after a few moments and quickly used her finger to write some kanji in the quickly congealing demon blood on the ground. Then Nuema put her palm into the blood, next to the kanji. There was a dull throb of energy. The kanji glowed a honey shade, the glow imploded in less then a second. After the implosions, a golden-yellow barrier burst from the kanji. The horde of attacking demons disappeared with various yells of pain.

Nuema fell forwards. Kurama quickly caught her uninjured shoulder, "Nuema?"

She tiredly lifted her eyes, "I had recovered enough psychic aura to do that. That's good. The barrier will hold for a while." Her head nodded. Black and red energy lashed out from her injuries. A gash was revealed on her cheek. It had barely been able to heal itself after being given to her, but it had reopened during the battle.

"Nuema?" Although her breathing was deep, she lifted her head to look weakly up at Kurama. Nuema looked worn and extremely exhausted. Kurama put one of her arms around his shoulder and helped her to one of the rooms in the temple. Inside the barrier, everyone else was recovering and Hiei was walking to another room in the temple, the room he had been in before.

Outside of the barrier a young adult sat on a tree branch. Loosely knotted navy and gold tipped hair swung in a light breeze as cold orange eyes stared into what was going on inside the barrier.

"They're in there. The stones." Her voice died almost exactly at the instant the words fell from her lips.


	2. The Darkness Binding

Hey, here we go, chapter two, I've had this done for a while though...

!-Chapter Two-! The Darkness Binding

Kuwabara let Hiei leave the area after the barrier formed because he wanted to go back to sleep, and he could get an explanation early that morning.

Sometime after sunrise, Nuema woke. Her wounds healed themselves quickly in the barrier of psychic aura, and her subconscious had recovered the scars with chaotic energy. When she woke she quickly sat up and put her shoes on before walking outside. The four boys were having a conversation.

"So, what happened to Yukina?"

"There were several demons chasing her. I killed them, and she collapsed," Was the succinct answer.

"Yeah, and you just happened to be in the area."

"Hn. Fool," He nodded his head upwards, as if motioning his third eye, "I have means of being informed."

"Yeah, okay, Hiei, but answer me this..."

Kuwabara was promptly cut off by the detective, who guessed correctly that he was about to ask why Hiei cared, "So d'you know why she was in human world?"

Nuema came out in plain sight and continued walking towards them.

"She probably went through a random rip in the space between Makai and Ningenkai. It follows that they followed her from there."

"But I thought Kurama said those were rare, then again there were a lot of demons last night."

"It was a full moon. Seems he failed to mentioned a full moon in either world will create more portals then usual."

"Yes, but there were to many even for that. Perhaps there was a full moon in the Makai as well."

"Ten yen, Kurama," The brown eyed boy said.

"Yusuke?"

"I said I was going to start fining you for being vague."

Kurama stifled a laugh, "When human world and demon world have coinciding full moons, hundreds of portals open between the two worlds, allowing thousands of demons to pass through. Usually, its less then a forth of the number."

"Alright, I'll let you off the hook."

Nuema started suddenly, '_Hiei. Don't ask, but go hide in the shadows, now!' _Usually, Hiei wouldn't listen, but there was such an urgency in her mental message he disappeared, hiding in a nearby shadow.

Kuwabara looked around for the short, spiky haired fire demon, "Hey, where'd the shrimp go?"

Before the others could look around and question Hiei's disappearance, a demon walked into the area. The golden barrier sparked around her before disappearing into the kanji it was formed from. Nuema held her head suddenly as if she was in pain.

"Nuema?" At Kurama's questioning call Yusuke turned to look at Nuema then the newcomer.

"Hey, what'd you do?'

"She used a mentally demanding barrier, when she was clearly not up for the task, which she full well knew. It was pathetic anyhow, only works on lower level demons, not me."

"Why you!" Yusuke made to shoot at her with his reigun, but no aura surrounded his finger, "Oh, that's right, I used all my energy last night on those demons."

"Musai." She balled her right hand into a fist, but left her index and middle fingers sticking out. She waved it across the entire group, black and purple energy formed across them, locking their arms to their sides, and making them all fall to their knees. Hiei was spared since she couldn't see him.

"Hey! What is this?"

"Ancient demon magic. This binding spell is fourth level, hard to break, but not particularly demanding."

"Well, well, you know quite a bit."

"I only know fourth level," Nuema spat at the youkai.

"Feh, still, quite a feat for a mere human to have such knowledge. I might not kill you after..." The navy haired demon stopped in her statement to look at Kurama, "Well now, isn't that interesting?"

Before Kurama could cast her a confused gaze, she was standing in front of the redhead. She was crouching in front of him and had pulled a necklace out from under is loose white shirt and excessively long yellow tunic that split down the sides of his legs. It was a thin sturdy leather cord attached to a gold piece that encased a forest colored emerald. It glowed green ad then stopped, shimmered and returned to normal.

"Looks like you're not normal either." She let go of the necklace, it bounced softly against Kurama's front, "Where's the ice maiden?"

Over in his secluded shadow, Hiei stiffened and glowered at the back of the Korootei. Was she after the ice stone as well? Well, he had it, but he was staying hidden until she moved. Kuwabara, who practiced no self-control like Kurama, who had remained silent, spoke up.

"You mean Yukina? What do you want with her?"

An orange gaze fell on Kuwabara, "To find her. Where is she?"

Kuwabara, being vaguely thick-headed, didn't quite get the fact that just maybe he should shut-up, "Why do you care?"

However, the water demon got the picture that Kuwabara wasn't worth her time. She turned her attention back to the male in front of her. "Where is she?" Silence was all she got, "No matter." With a quick snap the necklace came off, "I'll give this back. Until then, "She lifted her fingers towards Kurama, "Tai." And she was gone. With out the binding spell to support him, Kurama suddenly discovered he was weak and it took most of his power to stay up. This was probably an after affect of the spell.

Hiei ran out of his shadows and along the wooden deck, ignoring the rest. As he turned a corner, he had to stop short for someone shorter then himself. Her brown eyes locked on him, "Idiot."

"..."

"You should have told me about the girl."

"I didn't know you were up, little one," Somehow one could guess by how he addressed the aged lady that he enjoyed seeing someone so much shorter then himself.

"I was in the back."

"Hn." Hiei sped off again. When he paused in his tracks once more, he was standing in front of an open door. Inside he heard soft footsteps. Inside was Yukina and someone else. Both of whom the fire demon thought to be unconscious.

Inside the room, the other person was full conscious. She had white sheets pulled up to past her shoulders. Her red eyes were firmly shut. Under pale icy tipped black bands, a dark purple third eye was opened. A katana was lying loosely in the corner, along with a black michiyuki, a red short-sleeved shirt, and a soft white scarf.

"_Dammit,_" Just then she heard footsteps as the door rattled open. Cursing mentally again, she remained still, using her jagan eye for sight. Even if she was arrogant at times, she wasn't stupid and could sense the high amounts of demonic aura coming off the stronger, and she was without defensive weapon.

The stranger was none other then the female that had bound the group. She walked steadily into the center of the room, almost like a tiger on the prowl. Casting a spite filled glance at the girl with the black hair she looked into the far corner. Yukina was lying there with a white sheet up to her waist. She walked over to the pale ice maiden until she was at her feet.

A narrowed orange glance went from head to toe and toe to head. The female fire demon under the sheets heard foot steeps stop outside the door. They were familiar to her. A moment later, Hiei was in the room. One could easily tell from the expression on his face that he was annoyed. Spite and a look that promised death was sent at the Korootei hybrid. A brief look was offered to the girl with black hair, assuring him that she was still unconscious. Fierce orange eyes fell upon the shorter demon.

"Give the stone to me."

"..."

"You can give it to me peacefully, or I can take it by force."

"Hiei's hand grasped the stone in his pocket, but remained there, "Hn."

"Musaifaru." Red energy lashed out from around Hiei, wrapped around his form and disappeared. His body felt like lead, he couldn't move on his own accord. The female walked over to him and pulled the hand holding the icy crystal out of his black cloak pocket. After taking the stone she bound the spiky black haired demon in the same way as the others.

Then she walked over to Yukina and dropped the necklace of ice she held onto the maiden. Her black trench coat rustled about her ankles, silver shoes making soft noises. The semi-transparent large gemstone glowed an icy blue.

"You, did you take it from her?"

"..."

"I could kill you for that. But what interests me is that you could hold that stone at all. Amazing," As she said this she was walking closer to the demon. Reaching back she drew a flimsy looking thin sword form through her knotted navy hair. Thin planes of steel found their way to his neck. "Then again, you are part Koorime, aren't you? But still you'll have to die for taking the stone."

"Ms. Marishi." All open eyes fell to Yukina. The young girl was sitting up, one hand holding the ice stone the other bracing herself, "Mr. Hiei was protecting me from those demons. When I fell asleep, I must have dropped the stone."

"Whatever," Marishi put the flimsy sword back under her coat and tossed the emerald stone she had taken from Kurama on the floor, "Give this back to your friend. If Yukina dies, you will pay." With that she was gone, along with the spells she had cast. A fireball passed by where she had been. The other girl as sitting up, white sheets falling to her waist. Her deep red eyes were narrowed into a glare. Dammit, Marishi had annoyed her.

"Shiei?"

She turned her head to face Hiei, blue streaked black locks slapping her bared left shoulder. Flustered, a faint blush graced her cheeks momentarily when she remembered the only thing keeping her modest were the thick beige bandages going from just under her collarbone to the middle of her abdomen.

!-

Nyah, nyah! No, Yukina doesn't know Hiei's part Koorime, she woke up just after Marishi said that, so yeah, dun sweat it. –Like you were going to in any case-

Yeah Makai is demon world and Ningenkai is human world.

Musai and Musaifaru are Cercain, a language I made up, so don't try and translate it, you can't.


	3. We Have to Go Where!

!-Chapter Three-! "We have to go where!"

Shiei blushed slightly, bashing herself mentally, she still had to reclaim her shirt. Although chagrined, she force the red coloring down quickly, so Hiei had to wonder if he had seen it at all.

Yukina simply stared at Shiei, for a moment or two. Then she looked at the stone on the wooden floor.

"Hiei?"

"What?" Hiei looked over at her. His eyes softened slightly. Shiei didn't fail to notice. Note to self, ask him later or read his mind now. Read mind now. Hiei felt someone probing his thoughts and quickly blocked his mind off. '_Stay out of my mind._'

"Who did she take it from?" Yukina was referencing the emerald colored stone. Hiei looked down at it.

"The fox, Kurama."

"Oh dear. Where is he?" Yukina's eyes, something about them. As another note, the temperature was rising rapidly. Hiei reached out to grab the stone. However, Yukina somehow managed to get it before him.

"It would be better if I took it to him."

Hiei nodded and stood up, "Then follow me." He quickly left the room. Yukina looked at Shiei then followed. Shiei growled in annoyance and stood up. She walked over to the corner where her stuff lay and put her shirt on, tucked her ebon sword into the red belt that adorned her waist, threw on a black michiyuki and put on a soft white scarf. Something was missing. Realizing what it was, she growled. She braided her hair and managed to tuck it under her dark overcoat. Then she left.

Elsewhere, not terribly far away, Yukina chased after Hiei. Even though he was going fairly fast, it was obvious he was going slower then he normally would so Yukina could keep up with him. Eventually, they came back to where the other four were.

Kurama was leaning on Nuema's shoulder to stand, Yusuke helping slightly. Nuema looked up; she was about to ask about Marishi when Yukina caught her attention. She hadn't noticed the Koorime at all before now. "Who are you?"

Kuwabara answered for the ice maiden, "Yukina! You're better!" He started towards her, skipping. Hiei tensed, growing irate. Kuwabara froze stiff; a small gold aura forming around him.

"I believe I asked her a question, Kuwabara." The glow faded, "So, your name is Yukina?"

The girl nodded, "Yes." She was vaguely relieved, as kind as Kuwabara was, he could be annoying at times; especially when he was acting like that. She held out the stone, turning to look at Kurama, "This is yours." Kurama took an arm of Yusuke's shoulder to reach out for it. Yukina put it in his head, then back away. The stone glowed a forest green and Kurama's strength came back to him quickly. Trying to be nonchalant, he stopped leaning on Nuema's should and stood up by himself.

"Thank you, Yukina." He put it back around his neck and stuffed it under his cream shirt. Nuema stared at where the green gem was.

"What is that thing?"

"An elemental stone," Yukina looked up at them all.

"An elemental stone?" A toddler looked at Marishi, he chewed on a blue pacifier. Standing behind the Korootei was a spirit of death. Unlike most, who wore black, she wore a bright pink kimono.

"It's a stone that holds unlimited power of one of five elements. It grants this power to a user of that element, but they have to have that power at birth. Anyone else will be killed." Marishi put her hands in the pockets of her black trench coat, navy sash brushing against her pale skin.

"So why did I become weaker?" Kurama looked intently at Yukina for an answer.

Yukina held up her stone, "They attach to someone with that element, the person that can use them, taking it from you could have killed you."

"Is yours attached to you?"

"Yes. Marishi tries to watch me so that no one takes it from me so I don't die."

"So why does she care if you die?"

"I don't know, she just says something bad will happen."

"What will happen?"

"If a holder dies with the stone still attached to them, it will shatter, causing mass disruption in the balance of power of elements, killing all the holders." Marishi narrowed orange eyes at Koenma, this interrogation was getting length, "Anything else?"

"Just a few more questions, are you lying?"

"No, she has one as well, I don't think she would be," Yukina's innocent voice floated through the air.

Marishi pulled a stone out of her pocket, it was black crystal, purple energy threads floating in it, "No."

"And what exactly will happen wit the stones gone?"

Marishi leered evilly at him, "You don't know how much these stones balance your world. Dark holds Makai, Earth holds Ningenkai Spirit holds the underworld. Fire and ice makes you precious barrier between Makai and Ningenkai. Without them, your world would be thrown into chaos."

"But with the power of the stones, they can defend themselves."

"Only after their bodies adjust until then they'll be vulnerable."

"How long will that take?"

"As long as it needs to take."

"All right." Koenma fell deeper into his spinning arm chair, "Botan bring them here."

In an hour several people stood in front of the oak desk. Two sets of red eyes glowered at the tiny toddler. Koenma looked at them, pondered for a few moments, and then spoke.

"Yusuke, Kuwabara, Yukina, you can all leave. I want Hiei, Kurama, Shiei, and Nuema to stay, however."

"This is bogus, you tell me to come, then tell me to leave?" Yusuke looked highly irritated, but none the less, he left with the other two.

Hiei and Shiei continued to glare at Koenma. Why couldn't they leave this office as well?

"So you said Kurama had the earth stone?" Koenma asked, turning to Marishi. The demon curled her hand into a loose fist and tapped the side of her thigh, a movement softened by the thick black cloth she clad herself in.

"Yes." Marishi looked hard at Nuema, mainly at the Phoenix Talon blade by her side, "She has the stone of fire, in the hilt of that sword."

Nuema lifted her left arm and drew the sword with her right. Then she tossed it into the air, caught the metallic planes and stared into the hilt, at the curved triangular gem set inside it, "This thing?" Shrugging, she shoved the sword into his sheath, "Elemental stone, right? Yukina told us something about them."

"Then you'll know you have to carry the stone with you at all times."

The brown hair teen grinned ruefully, "That'll be fun to explain to school authorities why I have to bring a sword into school. I don't think a doctor's note will cover it."

"But if you don't, you will die."

Nuema bit her lip, "I'll figure something out," She returned to an impassive expression, "However, why should that be a problem? What would happen If either Kurama, Yukina, or me were to die?"

Marishi held an expression of equal stoicalness, "The world would be plunged into chaos and then become quite devoid of life.

Hiei and Shiei both had turned their irritated glances onto the Korootei. Although Nuema and Kurama were willing to listen to the water demon, the two fire demons were sill pissed off from the earlier encounter. Why did they have to listen to this, they didn't even trust here.

"So why the hell do we have to be here? It's their concern, not ours." Shiei sounded nothing short of very angry. She had woken up with a bad start to the day; all she wanted to do now was train or spar. Damn it, and this toddler was delaying her from doing either.

Koenma sighed at Shiei's flaring temper; this would only make his task harder, and more unpleasant. He glanced at the paper on his desk, reanalyzing the information. In the hour it had taken for the group to get to his office, he had someone look into Marishi's story, not quite trusting the demon of dark himself. According to the sources, her story checked out. This put him against a rock in a hard place.

"I'm getting to that. I've double checked the information Marishi gave me earlier, her story checks out. She's telling the truth, which is where you two come in. I'm told those stones will sap energy until you adjust to the new bond, which will then allow you to use its powers. Right now, Kurama and Nuema are weak, D level. Those stones emit a lot of aura, which will attract stronger demons from Makai. Obviously, they'll need protection."

"And her I was, going to ask if I could drop the bodyguards."

Koenma favored Nuema with a sour look for the interruption and continued "The demons won't care if they're in school or not. Yusuke and Kuwabara go to school elsewhere, and I couldn't get them into their school, so I'll need you two to attend their school undercover."

The two shorter demons had been listening inattentively, not really caring up until that last sentence was said. They fully snapped to a more attentive state, anger rising several more degrees, as did the temperature.

"We have to where!" It was purely a rhetorical question. The young leader found no need to answer it.

Shiei and Hiei disliked the idea, complete. Though the idea of protecting the two didn't settle well, they could live with it. However, they could not deal with having to go to the Meiou Senior Institution. Especially with those damn…

"Uniforms are going to be an issue. The Meiou school goes back into session at the need of the month, I can get you two enrolled with a cover-up story. However, you will have to wear the official school uniform. I will have Botan give them to you in a week."

"I'm not going."

"Hn! You're delusional if you think I'm agreeing."

Koenma sunk again, he had a feeling they'd say that. He knew, from know them for several years, that telling them that they weren't in jail because they had agreed to listen to him wouldn't work. However, Hiei tended to be the easiest to bargain with.

"Hiei, if either of them dies, I won't be able to bring them back for a while. But by that point a chain reaction will have occurred, killing your sister." Koenma could instantly figure out that he had won. Hiei froze up. How, how could he reason this, ah, that might work. But the argument was already over, despite Hiei's best attempts.

"But if these stones attract demons, then I'd be better off protecting her."

"Marishi is as powerful as either you or Shiei, and she's already protecting Yukina. Besides, you two will fit in better," Koenma realized tha he had accidentally said the name of Hiei's sister, at least she wasn't here. He quickly covered the mistake, so as to smother an angry retort from Hiei. "Besides, it will only be until they adapt. Will you do this?"

"..." Hiei growled and glared at him. He muttered a barely discernable, "yes." However, everyone caught the statement, causing Shiei to stare at him. In her shock, the temperature started to drop.

Hiei cursed Koenma off in his mind, anger festering in his chest. Damn him, using his sister as leverage. He was equally angry at himself for falling for the trap.

"So, Shiei, what about you?"

Shiei was just very well about to say no. A telepathic message cut across her thoughts before she could open her mouth.

'_Shiei, just say yes._'

'_No._'

'_I could tell someone that you were defeated by a human child weaker then yourself._'

'_I don't care about their thoughts._' Though this was far from true, the voice would pay if it told anyone that.

'_What if I told Hiei?_'

To hell with it all, "Hn! Fine." '_Just don't think I'll save you if you can't do it yourself, ningen._'

In her mind, Nuema smirked in victory. She knew very well that was a lie, she'd jump in at probably the very last second.

!-Author's note-!

Mhm. Sorry for you avid fans of this series for taking so blasted long between the updates. The inspiration for another five stories have nipped me in the arse and won' let me write out this story except for like a sentence a day, if even that. So, yeah. .o I can try to force myself to haul the inspiration for this story back, but don' be surprised if it takes a while. When I get to the action in like five or six chapters and stop with the opening patter we should be good to go.

. also, when I get to an idea where to go for the next several chapters, I should be able to update biweekly, every Friday (for me) some time, maybe sometimes weekly. Yay. Oh, if you have a suggestion for extra stuff I should do (you know, t'add some meat to the plot to make it all, like, realistic and not just plot, plot, plot, give 'em to me. It would help with the speed of updates)

Aiight, aiight. In case the explanation part of the stones confuddled yeh, tha's okay. Basically I was jumping between Yukina and Marishi, depending on what I wanted you to know. Marishi knows more about the stones then Yukina, so I would go to Marishi for more information. Yukina doesn't know what would happen if one of the holders were to die, or actually, much of anything beyond what she said.

Digi


	4. The Beginnings of Torture

Yay! Chapter Four after who knows how long. Sorry to take so long, but I had a major block.

!-Chapter Four-! Beginnings of Torture

Hiei growled as he watched Yukina in a convenient spot in a tree. He should be protecting Yukina, not some random demon that he didn't trust. Ah well, so long as she was protected there was really nothing he could do. He sat back in the tree, hands relaxingly placed behind his head. Keep in mind, he wasn't any happier about the arrangement, or any more agreeable. Hiei just knew there was nothing he could really do. Besides, he had already given his word to this agreement.

Shiei, on the other hand, felt like complaining about the new job, in her head. She would go through with this, but she just didn't feel like being silent about her irritation. Rather, she was, but the fact that the short demon hybrid was pissed off about something was a little bit more then noticeable.

"Shee!" Yusuke exclaimed as Shiei stormed by, temperature rising as she came by and then cooled off, "What's wrong with her? Its like PMS or something."

With that particular remark, Yusuke's black hair found itself spontaneously combusting, well not so spontaneously, but combusting none-the-less. Shiei paused, already a good five yards away. She turned to glare at the spirit detective. He normally crimson eyes were now a very bloody shade of red. An aware person could detect the demonic energy rolling off her in powerful waves. Then she continued on her circuit about the temple.

Nuema shook her head, "Demons don't PMS, Yusuke. That's just humans. Shiei's just generally pissed off." Nuema lifted a hand and quelled the flame atop Yusuke's head.

"Okay, I get that, but why'd she light my head on fire?" He rubbed the ashes off his smoldering hair.

"Oh, I wouldn't know, you were saying she was human, perhaps?"

"She should calm down. That energy is a homing target for nearby demons. We have enough already."

Kurama, Yusuke, and Nuema looked at Marishi, of whom the cold voice belonged, "That will be easier said then managed." Nuema sighed as she made that remark.

"I wonder what could be pissing her off so much. Hiei too, he hasn't been around much lately."

"Hey!" called a cheerful voice was a young woman flew down to the group on an oar. Her baby blue hair trailed behind her in its high pontail.

"Oh, hey, Botan. What is it?"

"Have you seen Hiei or Shiei? Lord Koenma wants me to give something to them."

"Shiei will kill you if she sees you, and Hiei's disappeared. Its for their new mission, right?"

Botan nodded and held up two cloth wrapped packaged. They curved at the bottom as they were held up in Botan's hands by their knots. The boat oar poofed (#) out of existence as sandal-clad feet touched the ground, "Yep. This is for Hiei," She lifted the one in her right hand, "and this is Shiei's." The one in the left was lifted.

"Let me and Kurama handle if from here," Nuema didn't wait for Botan to respond before taking Shiei's package, "I'll have a higher chance of surviving talking to Shiei." And with that Nuema was off following Shiei's wake, which had large traces of demonic still.

Kurama quietly disengaged the remaining package from Botan's grasp, "I have a good idea where Hiei might have run off to. It'll be best to deliver it sooner as opposed to later." And then the red-haired human was off to the forest.

Back where Yusuke, Botan, and the mainly silent Marishi were, the sound of snapping fingers could be heard, "Damn. I forgot to ask them what Koenma wanted with them." For no particular reason what-so-ever Botan cracked up laughing. Marishi stood up from where she had been sitting in the shade and walked off.

There were several reasons for the movement. First, she hadn't seen Yukina in a while and it was about time to see what the girl was up to and without a jagan eye the checks had to be done by hand, or rather foot. Also, Yusuke might have gotten the idea to ask her, for which she would normally kill him, but Yukina was attached to these people, so she really couldn't. And some very good death threats had been sent her way if she ever uttered a word, and Marishi wanted to avoid petty conflict.

Yusuke watched Marishi move off and then stared at Botan, who was just calming down from the fit of random laughter, "So can you tell me?"

Botan spoke between laughs, "I should be going now," She held out her right hand, formed her oar, sat down and flew off, "Later, Yusuke!"

Yusuke walked off, "Well fine! If no one will tell me I'll go find out myself!" That particular statement didn't bode particularly well for Hiei or Shiei.

Kurama looked up at Hiei, who was resting in a tree and Yukina out of sight. The package was resting in the crook of his arm, the hand belonging to the arm in his pocket, "Hiei."

Hiei opened his eyes and looked down at Kurama, "What is it fox?" Then he spotted the khaki burlap Kurama was carrying, "That's from Koenma." His voice held minor contempt.

"Yes, Botan asked me to give this to you." Well, it really wasn't the truth, she hadn't asked him to, but she would have anyways.

Hiei jumped out of the tree, he landed crouched barely three feet from Kurama. He glowered at the package. He wanted it to burn, but at the same time he knew it would only deepen his hole in the proverbial ground. He took the package from Kurama as he handed it to the fire demon.

Hiei jumped back up into the tree. He placed the packed under a foot, black leather clad heel pressing into the burlap. Kurama took that as his cue to leave. He quickly retraced his steps back to the temple.

"Shiei! Wake. Up." Nuema held the tight canvas knot in her hand, the package resting on her thigh. Her silver eyes were half glaring and half watching Shiei. Shiei seemed to have finally calmed down after the past several hours of irritation. The part Koorime was resting on a low branch in a tree seemingly asleep. Nuema hated to face the wrath of Shiei when she woke up, but the human wanted to get his over with soon so she could recover from any damage that might be inflicted.

Deep red eyes opened begrudgingly to stare in a "What the hell is your problem?" Sort of manner and glare down at Nuema, "I've been awake. What do you want, ningen?"

Nuema didn't exactly respond in the fashion Shiei had expected. She just threw the package to Shiei. With lightning fast reflexes the bulky piece of flying burlap was snatched out the air, "That'll help you blend in for the mission." Shiei glared at the package with disgust, which she had been looking curiously at the moment previous.

"Hn." Nuema turned around to leave, and then stopped, sighing.

"Sorry that you're stuck guarding me again."

Shiei nearly started, but didn't. It wasn't technically her fault, it was Koenma's. Still, the apology didn't nearly make up for the parameters of the mission, "Hn. It keeps me out of jail."

"Yeah, I suppose. You can change in my house before and after school if you want, so you don't have to wear it any longer then needed."

"Hn." With that Nuema left the area. Shiei jumped into another tree further back in the forest. She undid the knot with deliberate slowness. She stared in contempt at the neatly folded red skirt at the top of the pile. She only had to parade about in this until Nuema and Kurama had recovered their strength.

That couldn't possibly take too long, could it?

!-

I suppose the title doesn't fit any more, and sorry, it's a bit shorter then my other chapters.

Oh I made a word up! That's what the (#) meant

Poofed- v. To have disappeared in a magical fashion. Past tense of poof.


	5. First Day

Sorry for the long spaces between updates. I'm serious, but my muse is leaving YYH, I'll try and keep her here until this is finished. No garuntees.

!-Chapter Five-! First Day

The two-week summer break for Meiou School had finished. The day after it was warm, but the air held the crisp promise of fall. It was still early in the morning, but still fairly bright out as it was the last week of August. It was the morning of the first day of school for Hiei and Shiei. It had been nearly a week since they had been given this bodyguard job, and to say that the two demons weren't looking forward to this just might have been the largest understatement of all existence as of then.

There were still about twenty minutes left until the start of the day. Hiei and Kurama were waiting at the entrance of the school for Nuema and Shiei. Hiei quite a bit less patiently then Kurama was.

"Where the hell are they?" Kurama looked down at Hiei, the expression in his eyes almost withering.

"I don't know, but please don't curse in school."

"Whatever. I shouldn't talk enough for it to be a problem."

"Shuuichi meant for when you do talk, Ryuu." Nuema walked up speaking. Kurama and Hiei looked up at her, Shiei was walking next to her.

"Shuuichi?" Hiei paused at the unfamiliar name. Shiei merely gave a questioning glare at the human.

Nuema rolled her eyes, '_It's his human name, Hiei. Everyone here knows him by it, not Kurama. You'd do well to remember it. Oh, I'm Zaira here.'_

'_Hn. We don't need those stupid alias's do we?'_

'_I say no, Koenma says yes. Hiei you're Ryuu. I've already told Shiei her name at this school.'_

Hiei kept his face expressionless, save for the anger that flashed through his red eyes. The name sounded stupid to him to say the least. Then again any name he was called besides his given name was stupid. He had no need of stupid human names. His demon name suited him well enough. Although, it was a curiosity to both Hiei and Kurama how Shiei had reacted to being told her new name. Perhaps that's what had taken them so long. Shiei did look irate, not that it was unusual as something was almost always annoying her. However, she looked a mite more angry then normal.

Shiei grew all the more angry as she felt the two sets of eyes, one green and one red, watching her. Her eyes narrowed, '_What._' The telepathic message sent to the group was more a demand then anything else, but that probably should have been expected. None-the-less, it succeeded in withdrawing their stares.

"Come on. We should show them around." Nuema broke the silence to keep away unwanted outside looks.

"Good idea." Kurama picked up on the hint, as did the other two who remained silent however. Kurama and Nuema set off towards Meiou High, Hiei and Shiei followed grudgingly. They walked into the main entrance for students and was greeted by the sight of a few of their schoolmates putting their street shoes into small lockers and putting on school issued slippers. The two of them froze, they looked at their so-called guides for the day, Hiei's face being a little twitchy. Nuema walked off and returned with a teacher holding a clipboard a few moments later.

"This is Ryuu and Shizuka." Shiei's eyes flashed a darker shade of crimson before returning to their normal scarlet coloration. The temperature in the surrounding area flashed warmer with the unusual ocular coloration. The teacher didn't notice this however, since his nose was buried into the clipboard. He flipped through several pages. After a moment he stopped and let the papers fall into a resting position.

"Right, the transfers from Kitikawa. They're next to you two. Good day, Shuuichi-san, Zaira-san." With that he grumbled off, back to watch duty or whatever it was that he did this early in the morning.

After changing out their shoes, the four went to their homeroom. When the short period began it was much to the two new students' annoyance that they found out that they had to stand in front of the class and introduce themselves. Hiei had to go first.

"These are new transfers from Kitikawa. Introduce yourselves to your class mates. Oh please try to feel comfortable here."

Hiei nearly growled at the teacher's cheerful tone but refrained, "Ryuu Meishizuka, 17."

Shiei paused a moment after Hiei was done and then spoke, "Shizuka Tsukamoto, 16 and a half."

Both demons detested the lies coming out of their mouths. They quickly took their seats and tried to hold a telepathic conversation with Kurama and Nuema as a bit of reprieve from the chattering surroundings. It seems almost needless to say that on Shiei's behalf Nuema's life was threatened fatally and or to have a brief period of intense pain for a while when the day was done no less then three times. Kurama received no threats, but he was able to feel Hiei's glower on his back as he telepathically communicated with the demon. Both humans could only really wonder what exactly they had done to irritate the two.

The answer was actually rather simple. They had in fact done nothing to anger them, they were just angry. For Shiei it was a case of vaguely misplaced anger, a short temper, and her generally annoyed temperament. Nuema was just the only one Shiei was capable of feasibly threatening at that moment. Hiei wasn't all that annoyed at Kurama, he was just pissed off and Kurama happened to be sitting in the seat directly in front of the fire youkai. After a few minutes, Shiei seemed to come to reason and calmed down enough to stop glowering at everything her eyes settled on, if only briefly. Kurama felt Hiei's glare leave at about the same time. The two self-named prisoners had decided to hold a conversation with each other, leaving Kurama and Nuema to hold a conversation between themselves or sit around bored. The two just sat around doing much in particular.

Or rather, Kurama was tiredly adverting the attention of two very avid fan girls from himself as Nuema watched from the corner of her eyes, getting a variant form of amusement from the show. Shiei and Hiei eventually noticed the action as well. Shiei merely scoffed at Kurama's misfortune, although a smirk of amusement found its way to her face briefly. Hiei just watched for a moment before making one thoughtful comment on the display, "_Why the hell don't they get the picture that he doesn't want to talk to them?"_

Kurama sighed mentally, he wished he had a book with him so he could rely on it to distract their attention from him. Unfortunately, he hadn't been in the middle of a book that morning and there weren't really a lot of books that he could read left in his house.

"Do you want to hang out after school?"

Kurama had been expecting that question the moment they had started to talk to him. He had to think of a way to refuse the offer politely, and quickly too. Then the perfect excuse came to him.

"I can't. My father needs help in his store today, short-handed."

"Oh." Their faces fell. The bell for the end of homeroom rang and they ran over to their seats. Kurama became relieved almost instantly. He relaxed a little into his seat.

Nuema shook her head, smiling to herself. Shiei had taken to looking mundanely out the window, wishing that she could be training in the forest. Hiei had given Kurama a quick curious glance. He wondered if that was going to happen everyday. If that was to be the case, he would get annoyed at it very quickly. But at least it wasn't him. He swore he couldn't understand humans.

Nearly halfway through the day at lunch Hiei's tolerance of humans was nearly spent while Shiei's had been wasted many hours before. The four walked outside to eat lunch in the parts of the grounds they were permitted to trod upon. Hiei leaned against the trunk of a tree and Shiei sat in one of the branches, nearly obscured by leaves. Within seven minutes both humans had finished their meals.

Shiei's voice came down from her position in the tree, "Why do all those humans keep glaring at me? It's pissing me off." Her voice sounded of barely controlled anger.

Nuema looked up at her friend, "Females right? Probably because you were talking to Ku...Shuuichi before without getting his version of the cold shoulder."

Hiei quirked an eyebrow, "What concern of theirs would that be?"

"They're jealous because they're morons."

"Humans." Was all that Shiei felt was appropriate for the situation. She looked down at Hiei. There was more to her current irritation then she told about. She had caught a few other girls in the class giving Hiei the same look that the two girls had given Kurama. For some reason she wasn't aware of, it pissed her off, even more then getting dirty looks from those humans who dared to glare at her did. Of course, it seemed that Hiei hadn't noticed it.

In the next period Hiei started in confusion at the board. He glanced between the familiar kanji and the strange Arabic letters. When he first came to Japan, it was true that he spoke Japanese, but demons didn't write in Kanji, they wrote in something similar to ancient Greek if they were literate. Kurama had taught him Japanese so that he'd not need to rely on a translator. Of course, this new language was completely unfamiliar to him. Hiei thought it was called Eegulish. He copied down what was on the board into the blank paper filled book Kurama had given him. However, instead of kanji he used demon language, what was familiar to him. He really didn't see the point of it, though.

Shiei was having far less trouble. Having been forced to travel with Nuema while the girl had gone to America, she knew English with all of the proficiency of a ten year old. Still, she was at least able to understand that strange Arabic letters as parts of the English alphabet. She opted to remember the English words instead of copying notes. Actually, the notebook Nuema had given her had remained blank all day. She couldn't be bothered with it, and didn't see why Hiei was.

Hiei was not actually taking notes, in fact this was the only thing school-related he had written all day. He had been writing death threats earlier if he wrote at all during a period. The whole notebook was illegible to any one but a literate demon, or someone who knew the language. Hiei put the pen down, glowered at the book, crossed his arms and looked up, being greeted by the back of Kurama's head. How the shorter demon saw the board past his taller friend was still a mystery to all, perhaps it had something to do with his jagan eye.

To all those that had been forced to be present in the building the end of the day wouldn't come soon enough. It came eventually, around sunset, only a few minutes before actually. Shiei and Hiei practically flew out of the building, rather Shiei did, quickly changing out of her shoes and running out of the building to get out of that skirt. Hiei was waylaid by a few students, but managed to shake them off to get out of the building and get into his more comfortable black outfit.

Know the random stuff I put in:

Kitikawa- this is a purely fiction prefecture in Japan. Look up Kitikawa and it results with a doctor. I didn't know about him until I looked it up myself. Kitikawa is in no way, shape or form based off of this man. I tried to make a Japanese sounded prefecture for the place Hiei and Shiei were "Transferred from."

* * *

Know your Japanese:

"-san"- honorific. Its equivalent in English is "Mr." "Ms." "Mrs." Etc. Although its used more often then its English equivalent.

Youkai- demon in this context

Know your Yuu Yuu Hakusho:

Ningenkai- human world


	6. Get On With It

!-Chapter Six-! Get on With It

Time passed, Hiei and Shiei were gradually able to get used to school, although that didn't mean that the two ever stopped plotting on how to burn the wretched building and kill the teachers. Hiei handled the building and Shiei the teachers. Shiei grew continuously more impatient and fiery as the air chilled. She absolutely hated the cold, and school, but the cold more. Hiei frequently visited Genkai's temple to watch his sister. The entire group was run ragged monthly with the full moons as the demons poured out into ningenkai attracted to the stones like flies to honey. On one such night, the whole group had been visiting the temple, a week or two before Christmas.

It was only midnight and Yusuke had run out of spirit energy to fire his reigun. He was relying on brutal strength to kill the low class demon thugs, which was still extremely effective. Kuwabara was using his spirit sword to continuously hack them apart. However, his movements had become slightly more sluggish as the hell's rush wore down on him. Both held off the demons in the front. Hiei and Shiei were helping Nuema and Kurama on the back. Genkai assisted in the front. Marishi was nowhere to be seen.

Shiei was pleased at the rush of demons. Once a month she now able to kill at least two hundred low class demons, guaranteed. This meant one thing, stress relief. Sweet, sweet stress relief. The demons that fell victim to Shiei generally yelled in pain for a split second before she killed them. No one knew n what she did to them, and those that chose life were smart enough not to ask.

Hiei simply vouched for stress relief in the sheer amount of demons he killed. Low class demons pissed him off, just because they were weak and an embarrassment to demon kind. Trying to get past him proved fatal for all of them, up to three hundred at most usually. Nuema and Kurama had started to recover from the effect the stones had cast on them. The demons mainly made their way to the two, so it was a good thing that they were back at B class. Although it was still painfully difficult for them both considering that they had been middle A class a few months ago. Still, they managed to keep themselves from getting killed so it was good enough.

Suddenly, there was a scream from inside the temple. Hiei froze, it was Yukina. He quickly finished off the demon in front of him and ran off to find Yukina. The door to the room she was in had been burst open. A demon stood towering over Yukina's trembling form. The demon fell to the floor with head cut off as it raised a clawed hand to the ice maiden. As the demon hit the floor Kuwabara ran in.

"Hey, shrimp, what are you doing here?"

"Hn." Hiei wasn't in the mood to argue with Kuwabara, so he just gave the human a glare reserved just for him before running back outside.

"I wonder what's wrong with him. Hey, you okay, Yukina?"

"I'm fine, Kazuma. Please go back outside and help the others."

"You'll be alright?"

"Yes." Kuwabara killed a demon as he ran back out front to help Yusuke and Genkai.

Yukina sighed and relaxed sitting loosely on the mat. Marishi walked in the door and sat down in a far corner.

"Marishi? Where did you go?" Yukina asked looking up at her.

Marishi waved a hand at the demon corpse muttering something and then the corpse flew out of the room ramming into another demon at terminal velocity and killing it. Then she turned her attention to Yukina, "I was looking for the last stone."

"Oh, did you find it?"

"Yes. A young boy. I've placed a spell on him to last a few months that will protect him from demons for a while." She leaned back into the corner. When demons snuck past the others and managed to make it into the room they were killed instantly.

As the hours passed and the moon faded into sunrise and the demons stopped coming. The group walked into the temple and rested on some of the mats that Genkai provided them with as they stayed for the day, seeing as it was a weekend.

Everyone save for Yukina was tired. She ran around healing injuries. She approached Shiei last, not by any other reason then she got around to Shiei last, and tried to heal a cut that a demon had gotten on her face. Shiei held up a hand to Yukina and started to walk off.

"I don't need your help."

Yukina looked downcast, "But you're injured."

"I don't need your help." Shiei nearly spat out as she walked outside to sit in a tree, wondering why she had even bothered to go inside. Hiei sidestepped Shiei as she nearly stormed out of the room and looked in, he had no intention to go inside, but something compelled him to, probably to see what had provoked her wrath. Her anger surprised him, considering she was almost cheerful after killing all the demons that came, only weariness marring the happiest she ever got emotionally wise.

He saw Yukina looking rather upset and everyone else staring at the egress Shiei had used. Hiei quickly got an idea of what had gone on and followed Shiei's path. He found her resting in a tree. He jumped up onto the branch she was sitting in, just out of distance from her feet. She opened her eyes to glare at him. He returned her glare with equal irritation.

"Will you stop hurting her feelings?"

"Hn."

"Every time you see her you say something rude."

"Hn!"

"What is your problem?"

"Hn!"

Hiei growled, "Why do you hate her so much?"

"Hn. I don't have to answer."

Hiei was silently thankful that Shiei had finally used something other then "Hn." "Answer my question." He ignored the last part of what she had said.

"Hn! It shouldn't be any of your concern. Why are you bothered?"

"..." Hiei worsened her glare, "She's...she's..." Hiei made sure no one else was in listening distance, "Yukina's my sister." He had made sure that statement was barely audible just in case.

"..." That had shocked Shiei into silence instead of her preferred response. What got her even more was that Hiei actually cared about his family. Her only family, she hated and pretended that they didn't exist. She glowered at him and took to silence.

"Why do you hate her?" He sensed her shock and tried to press an advantage, although he didn't expect it to work at all.

"I..." She stopped and growled, silencing herself, she knew Hiei was waiting for a response after her initial slip up, so she decided to answer his question, "I just hate ice maidens."

"Hn. She's not like the rest."

"Hn."

"Wait, you didn't know she was my sister?"

"No. Why should I bother with such trivial information about a Koormie?"

"Because Koenma said that she was when he gave us our mission."

"Sorry, too busy fuming to listen to that idiot." The apology was in the sarcastic and Hiei got the feeling that even he was pressing his luck with lasting against Shiei's temper. He jumped down from the tree and stalked off to go catch up on his sleep.

In the room Yukina tried to brush off Shiei's remark, but was having a hard time of it until Nuema spoke up.

"Just ignore that, Yukina. She's always like that."

Yukina turned to Nuema, she looked hurt, "But, I've never done anything to her."

"Eh, Shiei just hates almost everyone and everything." That was a lie and she knew that it was because Shiei hated ice maidens for a reason that she knew as well, but she was trying to cheer up Yukina. It worked for the most part, she smiled.

"Oh, okay. Thank you, Nuema."

"Not a problem."

Yusuke grinned, "Hey, Kurama, Nuema, what did Koenma want to see you guys for back in August.

Kurama stared quizzically at Yusuke. Nuema spoke up first, "Yusuke, you've asked us that over a hundred times by now. His answer is always the same. Don't you listen? It's of no importance and does not concern you." Nuema spoke the last part slower to make sure he got it this time.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Shee." Yusuke relaxed and fell asleep. Everyone else did, Nuema last. She lie awake thinking, something nagged her at the back of her mind, but she didn't understand what. She shoved the thought aside and finally let sleep claim her mind.

* * *

Whoo! Sixth Chapter. I'm gonna try and finish this in the next two months. –scoffs- yeah, right. 


	7. Winter Times

Hello, time for yet another update in Two Halves One Whole-Troubles! It's the lucky seventh chapter (mebbe). The last chapter title probably had something to do with myself and a lack of titles...basically saying "Get on with the story already and stop getting blocks"…or maybe it was directed to my muse

!-Chapter Seven-! Winter Times

It was an extremely cold winter day, the last day of school before it let off for week for Christmas and the New Year. Shiei was taking her time leaving the school. Her uniform and street shoes were already on, but she stared outside the glass front window, hesitating to leave the building. The sky was covered in dark clouds that threatened snow, or worse, ice rain. Shiei knew that the gusts outside were chilly. She only was debating leaving the building because it was cold outside and warm inside. Her utter loathing of the cold far outdid her hatred of the school and the skirt, well maybe not the skirt. So, wanting to get out of the skirt she decided to take the cold, but she'd be a liar if she said she'd enjoy it.

"Hey, Shiei." Nuema said walking up to Shiei.

"If you want to survive, human, you'll leave me be."

Nuema snickered at Shiei, before realizing that the air had warmed up a little and stopped, "You know, you could stay at my place while it snows tonight. My parents are off on a trip of some kind for the week."

That brought a small smile of relief onto Shiei's face. The two walked along in silence until Shiei spoke again, "Thanks. Now let's get out of this damned cold."

"Agreed." The both ran over towards Nuema's house as fast as they could make it.

Hiei had taken time to get out of the school, not because of him debating about getting into the cold, he didn't really care that much. Three girls had crowded around him, hindering his movement forward towards the door. He was glaring pretty fiercely, this happened to him daily, ever since he had come to the school. It was getting on his nerves.

"Hi, Ryuu!"

"..." Their only response from Hiei was a large amount of silence and a spite filled look.

"Want to go to a coffee shop? Its really cold outside."

"..." Hiei rolled his eyes mentally since he was too busy glaring to do that outside of his head. His thoughts were high on the sarcastic side.

"Come on, Ryuu. Please."

"No. Now leave me alone."

"What's wrong Ryuu, don't you like us?"

"No." With that he was finally able to make his way past them and get out of the blasted building. Hiei thought about asking Shiei if he could kill some of the students in their revenge against school, mainly those three exactly.

The three stood there as Hiei left, stunned for a moment before one spoke up, "Ryuu must just be in a bad mood."

"Guys from Kitikawa are so hot."

"And so cool too."

Then they scrambled to get out of the building and go to the coffee shop they had been bothering Hiei with for the past week since the first snow. Kurama had seen the whole thing and shook his head in some form of pity for Hiei. Then he too walked out of the school building. He followed the same path he took every time to get to his house from the school building.

He was contemplating Shiei's rather erratic behavior towards everything lately, although it was mainly anger and hatred. She had snapped at him several times for just existing, which was pretty much far from normal. He decided that there was something annoying her that he'd best not bother to inquire about. Kurama stopped as he heard someone come up behind him. He turned to face the person, noticing at once that it was Yusuke.

"Hello, Yusuke."

"Hey, Kurama. Could you do me a favor?"

"Perhaps. What would it be?"

"Well you see, I was hoping to have a Christmas party, but my mom won't let me hold it at my house..."

Kurama paused and thought about what he knew of Christmas, "No, Yusuke."

"Aw, come on, Kurama. I'll decorate and everything. You won't need to do a thing."

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of."

"Okay, you can decorate as well."

"I'll take care of everything, Yusuke."

"Good, here's a list of people I wanted to come."

Kurama took the piece of paper that Yusuke was holding out to him and read over the names. When he reached the last three names he paused and thought something over before looking back up to Yusuke, "You do realize the last three won't come."

"They will. You've just gotta convince one of them and Yukina."

Kurama sighed, already regretting his decision to hold the party, "Anything else, Yusuke?"

"Nope, just put these up." He gave Kurama a bag of something and ran off.

Kurama peered into the bag and shook his head at the contents, of all the things. He silently walked home, thinking of ways to convince Hiei or Shiei to come to his party. Then he decided that if Shiei could be convinced by her friend then getting Hiei to go would be rather easy. When he got into his house he both had that particular thought and the snow had started. His parents and brother would be at parties with their own friends on Christmas Eve so that was likely to be the best day to hold the party.

'_Nuema._'

Over at Nuema's house Shiei had been staring out the window in the room where the fireplace had been lit. When the fat and soft snow flakes had started to fall in a thick heavy downpour Shiei had lost interest in the outdoors. She walked away from the window and sat in front of the open flame. Under Shiei's expert guidance the flame became just a little bigger then it should have been and crackled quite a bit more then as was usual for a normal flame.

Nuema walked into the room and looked between the fire and Shiei. She shook her head, "Oi, Shiei," The demon looked up at her with a glare and the fire returned to more normal ways, "Just don't burn down my house." Shiei returned to messing with the fire with her powers over the innocent flame. She had no intention of burning down the house; that would deprive her of a shelter from the wretched snow outside.

It was then that Nuema got Kurama's telepathic message, '_Yeah, Kurama? What's up?'_

'_Could you get Shiei to come to a Christmas party I'm going to have on Christmas Eve? You're invited too.'_

'_Mhm...great. I'll try, no guarantees. Oh, don't put _any _mistletoe up, 'kay?'_ With that she closed the telepathic conversation with Kurama and looked down at Shiei. This would be difficult, she knew that Shiei hated parties as much as she did school and skirts, "Hey, Shiei?"

Shiei growled as she was interrupted once more, she looked up at Nuema again, "What, human?"

Nuema rolled her eyes, "Interested in going to a party Kurama's going to have in a few days?"

"No."

Nuema sighed and came up with a good reason for Shiei to go to the party, "I'm going to be going."

"Hn."

"Look, if I'm not here you can't be in my house, you know that. So you'd have to be outside, and they're predicting snow on that day."

Shiei froze, she seriously wouldn't do that to her, would she? Shiei deepened her glare, and read Nuema's mind. After a moment or two her question was answered with a definite yes. Shiei was torn for the second time that day. She hated being in any form of party as much as she could avoid, but she hated being stuck in the snow. Barely a moment was spent debating over the conundrum, "Fine, I'll go."

"Okay, Shiei." Nuema grinned in her head once more victorious. Shiei's deep despise of snow and all things cold, save for ice cream, left her vulnerable to defeats in many arguments. She opened a telepathic link with Kurama, '_Okay, done. You're lucky it's gonna snow on that day.'_

'_Thanks.'_

'NOT _welcome. Remember, no mistletoe.'_ She closed the connection once again. To be honest she wasn't fond of parties of that kind either, but given the choice of being around Shiei for the rest of the break or actually being able to talk to someone and be around more amiable people for several hours, it wasn't really a tough choice. She walked up the stairs and into her room, picked up a piece of paper and drew something. Just to get her mind off that thing that had been nagging her for a very long time, since the morning after the last full moon actually.

Kurama sighed as he sat down in his room, he decided that he would try for the other people on the list the next day. All the while Yusuke was running around trying to find one person, "Keiko, come on! Wait a minute!"

The person he was shouting at was a girl with shoulder length brown hair. She stopped walking to turn and face Yusuke.

"Hey, Yusuke." She smiled at him.

"Kurama's going to be having a Christmas party, he said I could invite you. Want to go?"

"Kurama?" Keiko paused, that didn't sound like Kurama, "Sure. Thanks, Yusuke. When is it?" However, going to a party that Kurama held would be safer then Yusuke's at any rate.

"Christmas Eve, I'll come get you."


	8. Parties and Brothers part 1

!-Chapter Eight-! Parties and Brothers part 1

Shiei glared at the nighttime sky the night of the party. She kept up a brisk pace walking with Nuema to Kurama's house for the party. It seemed that it would indeed snow that night, the stars and moon were covered in a blanket of storm clouds. She looked down at the sidewalk as her foot started to slip as she stepped on a piece of ice. Shiei managed to catch herself, but was annoyed at the black ice.

Shiei growled, "Damned winter."

After several more minutes they walked up the steps to the front door of Kurama's house. Nuema rapped on the door with her knuckles several times and just stood there, Shiei started to impatiently tap her foot, not even waiting for a second to pass before losing her patience.

The door opened, Kurama looked at the two, "You're early." was all that he said.

"I wanted to get here before the snow started, Kurama." Nuema tilted her head in the direction of her much shorter friend, "Can we come in?"

"Oh, of course." Kurama opened the door wider and stood to the side to let them into his house. Shiei became a blur of black and if anyone had blinked they would have missed the move from outdoors to indoors. Nuema walked in much slower then Shiei, as soon as the red haired boy had closed the door she whirled on him angrily.

"Kurama, I thought I told you not to put any mistletoe up!"

"Yusuke asked me to, I don't see the harm in it."

Nuema groaned, "Just to make sure, Hiei, Yukina and Kuwabara are coming?"

Kurama nodded, "Yes," and then his face fell, "Oh dear. There will be no stopping Hiei from killing Kuwabara."

"Is it too late to take it down by any chance?"

"Shouldn't be." Kurama walked up to one of the pieces of mistletoe, Nuema followed from a safe distance. Kurama used a vine to pull over a ladder and then climbed up the steps to safely reach the ten-foot high ceilings. He grabbed onto the mischievous plant and pulled on it to remove it from the ceiling. It didn't budge.

'_Sorry, Shuuichi, it won't be that easy to take them down._'

"_Youko! What did you do?_"

'_Nothing much, Shuuichi. You can't take them down until after the party. You can't escape from your problems that easily._'

"_Youko!_" Kurama spent a moment thinking of nasty things to do to the fox demon, but nothing came to mind, he just let go of the mistletoe and stepped down from the ladder. He looked apologetically at Nuema, "Youko embedded them into the ceiling. The only way to take them down is to destroy the ceiling."

"Stupid fox. Great. I'll think of something to do to save your hide, and Kuwabara's. There's nothing to stop Hiei from killing you for putting it up." Nuema moved quickly to a corner to think about the task at hand while Kurama continued to set up for the party. She noticed a tree nearby that was covered in tinsel and small ornaments. She chuckled to herself before pulling two wrapped items out of her pocket and tossing them under the tree.

In a few minutes Yusuke and Keiko knocked on the door and came in. Yusuke looked around at the ceiling. He nodded approvingly and gave a thumbs-up to Kurama. They walked over to the tree and put two large wrapped gifts under the tree along with the other three wrapped items.

Shiei had found her way to in front of one of the fireplaces in the large gathering room and spent her time staring at the fire, ignoring everyone and making small shapes in the fire, including entire battles between demons. As more people walked into the house they seemed bent on ignoring the short-tempered female.

The next person to walk in was Kuwabara, he immediately asked one question, "Hey, is Yukina coming, Kurama?"

"Yes, she's just not here yet." Kuwabara sat down in a chair near the snack table, which just so happened to have an unblocked view to the front door. In a few minutes Yukina walked into the door, Marishi standing behind her, glaring at everything. Before Kuwabara was able to start to get up from his seat Nuema called out, "Hoi, Yukina. Could you come here a sec?"

"Sure." she said cheerfully before walking over to the corner Nuema was sitting in. Marishi grumbled before accepting Kurama's invitation to come in. She walked into the darkest corner she could find and sat down in it. "What did you want to see me for?"

"Well," Nuema paused for a brief moment before finalizing her plan, "There's going to be a game being played during the entire party. Would you like to know what it is?"

"Sure."

"It's very simple there are two teams, mine and Kurama's. Everyone knows how this game works except for Hiei because no one has explained it to him yet. Basically, you can never say you're playing a game, unless we start playing another game in addition to this, or you lose. Shiei doesn't want to play, and I doubt either Hiei or Marishi will. Everyone else is on Kurama's team. I don't want to play by myself, but no one wants to be on my side." at that point she pulled on a very convincing distraught and disappointed look. Yukina couldn't help herself.

"I'll be on your side."

Nuema smiled and looked up at Yukina, "Really?"

"Sure." the ice apparition said pleasantly.

"Cool." Nuema waved her hand and colored lights fell from the ceiling, originating from each piece of mistletoe. "Okay, these are the rules for being on my side; you can walk through and stand in the lights by yourself. But you automatically lose if you walk through or stand in the lights with someone else. And then I'll be all by myself again." she looked down and disappointed again.

"Don't worry, I won't." Yukina told her, trying to cheer her up.

"Thanks, Yukina. Oh, the other people on Kurama's team will try to make you walk into the lights with them to make you lose, but you can't let them. They won't tell you what they're doing probably, but you should know, you'll feel a chill if you get near them with your eyes closed. And the most important rule of all is that you absolutely cannot mention the lights or this game to anyone else."

"Okay. Thanks." with that Yukina walked off by herself to place two more wrapped items under the tree. The count was now eight. Nuema stood up and walked over to Kurama, she leaned against a convenient wall.

"You should hopefully be alive by the time the night ends, along with all the humans present."

"What did you tell her?"

"I said it was a game. There's some psychic aura under the mistletoe that only ice apparitions and me can see. Her job is to avoid being in the aura at the same time as anyone else."

"Good idea. Now if someone can tell Hiei about the aura when he comes in..."

"You should. You'll greet him."

Unfortunately, that plan fell apart when Kurama opened the door for Hiei. He went over to the tree and dropped a package under the tree as soon as the door was open. Then Hiei went over to the fireplace next to Shiei to look at what she was doing to the flames. It was a full minute before Yusuke pointed out a fact about the location.

"Ooooh. Hiei and Shiei are under the mistletoe." it was true both were inside the telltale aura that Nuema had set up. Immediately both were on there feet glaring at the human. Shiei spoke first.

"And what is that supposed to mean, human?" they both were demons; they had never been to a Christmas party in their life before, and didn't know what mistletoe meant.

"Uh, Shiei. Remember that thing I told you about America and Christmas...?" Nuema said trying to stir up the shorter demon's memories.

"Why didn't you say that before, shunoonca?"

Everyone just stared at Shiei for the foreign word, causing her temper to fray even more. "Tela conso'nei, shunooncas." Nuema bit her lip, Shiei was very, very pissed. She had become so angry so fast that she had skipped over the eye color change and warm up the surrounding temperature stage of her anger and had gone straight to speaking a strange tongue. There was quite possibly only one cure for this.

"Sweet snow."

Everyone, including Shiei looked over at the brunette. "What?" was asked in two languages. The only one not speaking Japanese was Shiei who continued in that strange language she had been using.

"Cookie dough sweet snow." she said slowly, staring at Shiei in the eye.

Shiei understood immediately and thus began speaking normally. Her anger was subdued for the most part, "Is there any here?"

"Yes." Kurama said, figuring correctly that sweet snow meant ice cream, "In the freezer."

Shiei turned towards the kitchen, intent on raiding the freezer for all the ice cream it held. Then Yusuke spoke again.

"Nope, no leaving. Mistletoe."

Shiei favored Yusuke's response with a glower. Hiei, who was still very confused on the matter of the mistletoe repeated Shiei's question from earlier, "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Simple, you two gotta kiss on the lips." Yusuke said, relishing it.

Never before had Hiei's eyes narrowed into a glare so quickly. He turned towards Kurama. So did Shiei. This was his party, if he wanted to live, he'd say that they wouldn't have to.

"Well, since they're demons I think that the rule..." he paused, his voice altered a little before the next two words came out. "still applies." Kurama winced. "_Youko! I told you already, no taking control like that._"

All he got in response was a mental snicker. He looked apologetically at the two. "Sorry."

Shiei growled, how dare they leave ice cream as a bribe for this human foolishness. Hiei was deciding that there was no way that they could force him into this. He was about to leave when Yusuke spoke up. "Hiei if you don't, I'll tell everyone your big secret."

Hiei growled and glared at Yusuke. He became a blur of black as he moved to kiss Shiei and get it over with. The split second being spent upon the deed saw the two shorter demons glaring at each other and if looks could kill, Hiei would have died right there. Then he was beside a light free window. The only witnesses were Kurama and Nuema. Both motioned for Yusuke to shut up.

!-End Chapter-!

The Christmas party is going to be covered in two chapters, hence the part one. Part Two should be done soon.

The language Shiei spoke is called Shato. What she said will be clarified in later chapters. Uh...more updates should be coming soon.


	9. Parties and Brothers part 2

And here is part two of the Christmas party.

**_Officiality Disclaimer_**- The Korootei and the fact that Koormie can't eat chocolate are my own invention. Also of my own creation is the idea explained first footnote at the end of the chapter. Along with the Haiku that appears. Please don't steal them. (Exceptions are the chocolate and first footnote...I don't care about that...but it isn't official is all I'm saying.) Have a nice day.

!-Chapter Nine-! Parties and Brothers part two

As soon as she calmed down and her eyes became less sanguine in coloration, Shiei stormed off into the kitchen. She opened the freezer and in seconds found what she had been looking for, a one-person container of cookie dough ice cream. She rummaged around for a while and found a spoon in one of the drawers. Shiei consumed the ice cream in little over a minute and tossed the empty ice cream container into the sink along with the spoon.

While Shiei was pilfering Kurama's kitchen for some ice cream Hiei had taken a seat in a window. He had his chin resting in his hand. His elbow was resting on his right knee and his left foot was touching the ground. His entire attention, focus, and gaze were directed outside as he watched snow fall. He was thinking of mean things to do to Yusuke first and foremost for pointing out the mistletoe in the beginning. That and threatening to tell Yukina that he was her brother.

"Are you sure you saw them do it?" Yusuke asked Kurama for the fifth time in three minutes.

"Yes, Yusuke. I think it would be best if you dropped the subject."

"Aw man, I wanted to see it too." Yusuke snapped his fingers and then felt extreme warmth behind him. He turned slowly to see what was the source of the heat and saw Shiei standing three feet behind him.

Shiei was glaring at him and her eyes were the exact same color as blood. Kurama had told Yusuke to drop it when he had seen Shiei walking out of the kitchen. He didn't think it would be wise to continue with the subject while she wasn't eating ice cream and in hearing range. Yusuke froze from Shiei's glare. Shiei stood there for a minute before turning around and stomping off towards the fireplace to sit and think.

A second after seating herself in front of the hearth some ashes fell from the ceiling, landing right next to Shiei. Above where the mistletoe once had been there was now none. She stared deep into the fiery depths and started a battle between demons in the center of the flames once more.

After several minutes everyone present at the party, with the exception of Hiei, Yukina, Marishi, and Shiei went into the dining room to eat a dish that Kurama had made. Marishi stayed in the room keeping a watchful eye on Yukina in her dark corner. Hiei and Shiei continued ignoring everyone in the room. Yukina sat by herself in a chair near the tree. Her slender eyebrows were furrowed and her eyes were glazed in concentration.

After a minute she stood and walked gingerly over to Shiei. Shiei looked to her right as Yukina sat down on her feet and put her hands in her lap. Shiei quirked an eyebrow and glared at the young Koormie. Yukina bit her lip for a second before speaking. She looked up at Shiei.

"Shiei...I was wandering if I could ask you something..." she looked up at Shiei. The fire demon looked back into the flames.

She responded gruffly. "What?"

"Well, since you seem to be one of Hiei's friends...I was curious if you knew anything about his sister?" she watched Shiei patiently for a response. Hiei didn't notice Yukina speaking or the question she asked.

Shiei stared into the flames for several moments before giving a response. "What makes you think he has a sister? And why do you care?"

"Kazuma told me that Yusuke once mentioned Hiei had a sister. I'm just curious is all."

"Why don't you ask Hiei about her then?"

Yukina sighed and took a moment. "I've only asked him once. He got very angry and left without saying anything. When I ask the others, they act the same way when I mention my brother. They get all nervous and look at Hiei if he's around. I know the others know who my brother is, except for Kazuma and Keiko. They just don't want to tell me. I thought that maybe you would know too."

Shiei quickly used her jagan eye to probe the girl's mind and growled after she was done with the task. "If you have a point, get to it and stop wasting my time."

Yukina held one of her own hands tightly, resolving her own mind before getting to her point. "I just want to know if Hiei is my brother."

That statement snapped Hiei out of his reverie. His eyes widened and he sent a hasty telepathic message to Shiei. '_Shiei. Don't. Tell. Her._'

When Shiei got the message she smirked and sent a mocking reply back. '_Nervous?_' Shiei could sense the large amounts of anger and apprehension coming from him. For some reason she didn't understand he really didn't want Yukina to know that she was his sister. Shiei also knew that he knew that she didn't fear him or anything he might try to do to her for telling Yukina the truth.

"What makes you think that?" Shiei decided that it was now fun to talk to Yukina. Now that Hiei was getting nervous of her telling Yukina the truth.

"Hiei often gives me advice that I'd expect to hear from my brother. He also is protective of me, like an older brother would be. Even if he isn't, I'd like to say that he is."

Shiei smirked. "Hnh." she looked over at Hiei and saw his wide eyes reflected in the surface of the window. "I don't know, really. Why don't you go ask Hiei? He would know."

If it was possible, Hiei's eyes widened even more when he heard Shiei tell Yukina that. Yukina nodded her head, "You're right. Thanks!" Yukina stood up carefully and walked towards Hiei.

'_Shiei, why the hell did you tell her that?_'

Shiei smirked. '_I didn't tell her that you're her brother, did I?_'

Hiei composed himself when Yukina got close enough to take notice of his reflection in the windowpane. Only one thought passed through his head as his mind raced to think of some lie to tell Yukina. "_Crap._"

Yukina didn't notice his expression from before, just the calm angry look that he normally wore. "Hiei," she waited until he looked over his shoulder at her. It took her a moment to gather enough resolve to ask him what had been bothering her for a while. "I was wondering if you were my brother?"

Hiei froze, he hadn't actually expected her to ask him that. His mind pounded. He couldn't actually lie to her, but there was no way to answer that question without actually lying. Shiei smirked watching Hiei. Her smirk changed to a small mocking grin as she read his racing thoughts.

Kurama had walked into the doorway just as Yukina asked Hiei if he was in fact her brother and froze. He took a moment to gather the barely perceptible expression change in Hiei's face. He decided to step in and help Hiei out.

"Everyone else decided they like to take a look at their anonymous gifts now. So we might as well." Kurama announced to the four present in the room. Shiei's shoulders fell, mouth twitched and eyes narrowed. Kurama had spoiled her fun. She had been enjoying watching Hiei squirm like he had been. Hiei, on the other hand, was quite grateful to Kurama's diversion and moved past Yukina to the other side of the room. Yukina's face fell as she was once more unable to find out more about her brother.

The rest of the group walked through the open doorway one at a time to avoid any mishap from the mistletoe hanging at the doorframe. That was until Keiko walked through. Yusuke had been standing in front of her, but let her pass through first. Keiko stopped short when Yusuke grabbed her wrist.

"Yusuke, what-?" Keiko turned to face the spirit detective. Her question was stopped short only because Yusuke kissed her. A faint blush crawled up her cheeks as she closed her eyes. After a second Yusuke stepped back and smiled at her before moving on to sit down with the rest of the group. Keiko stood there in shock for a second and then sat down next to Yusuke. The rest of the group had looked over at the doorway the moment Keiko said something and then turned back around to talk.

When Keiko sat down Kurama pulled out a small tube page that had his name on it. He laid the gift on the ground next to him. The next gift was a small box that was given to Keiko. Two small packages went to Hiei. A piece of tied cloth that had a paper tag attached to it was given to Shiei. A large flat box and leather bag went to Yukina. A cylindrical cloth wrapped item was given to Nuema. Yusuke was given a wrapped rectangular item. After Kurama had looked under the tree he pulled out a mysterious tenth gift, something that looked the same as Yusuke's Kuwabara finally had a gift.

Nuema's gift was a glass vile filled with a translucent, sparkling, silver liquid. A piece of paper that was wrapped around the vile explained it to be a draught made of demonic herbs that would increase the power of her psychic powers temporarily. She grinned recognizing the handwriting and the fact that it was made of demonic herbs to be from Kurama.

When Keiko opened her gift she saw a small white pearl looking object. She picked it up and examined it. Then noticed a piece of paper lying on the bottom of the box. She pulled out the paper and put the sphere into the cardboard cube. The paper told her that it was Yusuke who gave the gift to her because it explained the pearl-like object to be the berry of a spray of mistletoe.

Kurama neatly pulled the wrapping off of his gift. It revealed itself to be a rolled up piece of parchment paper one which was a detailed ink painting of a nine tailed fox. Inked one the side of the paper in English was a haiku. "A spirit fox latches-To the soul of unborn baby,-And makes him very strong." He smiled to himself, the haiku was obviously made for him. The only person he knew that could draw that well was Nuema. He was grateful for the gift.

Shiei ripped the tag off of the cloth. The tag said that what was inside would increase her demonic power, but make her mind wearier when she took it off or after a day of wearing it she would fall asleep. When she untied the black cloth wrapping the gift, she saw that it was a loop of identical charms of black metal roses that was the proper length for a necklace. She quirked an eyebrow at the item and shoved it into her pocket before someone could make a remark about it. Shiei then read Hiei's mind to see if he had given it to her, and came out with a positive result.

Kuwabara hastily tore of the wrapping on his gift and what it was. He grinned and paraded around excitedly holding his gift in the air. His present was the next volume of his favorite manga series.

"Yeah! The next volume in Kona!"

Yusuke looked up at Kuwabara's gift, "Relax, will you? I got it too." Yusuke put the graphic novel down next to him. "I was planning on stealing it, but I guess I don't have to now."

Yukina looked down in dismay at the larger gift that she had received, not paying attention to what Yusuke or Kuwabara had said. Her other gift had been a small charm that had the kanji for protection inked onto it and had been attached to a bracelet size chord. "Oh dear." Kuwabara stopped in mid-step as everyone looked over at her. The box was lying on the floor, lid next to the bottom part, which held a large amount of chocolates.

"What is it, Yukina?" Nuema asked her; curious as to why she was so distraught over the simple present.

"I can't eat chocolates. And now I feel bad. Someone got this for me, but I can't have them and they'll have to be thrown away." a few tears slipped from her eyes and solidified into precious pearl shaped gems.

"Hey, don't cry, Yukina." Keiko said, "Why don't you go put them onto the snack table? That way other people will eat them, like it's a gift to everyone else from you?"

Yukina smiled, "Thanks, Keiko." she wiped her eyes and picked up the box and lid and put went to go put them on the snack table. Several of the tear gems fell from her lap onto the ground.

While Kuwabara had been prancing around with his manga Hiei had opened the first gift that had been passed to him. It was a small hand sized implement with one point coming out of one side and several tines on the point. The note wound around the item explained, in Shiei's writing, that it was a demonic lock pick and could open any lock on anything given enough time and patience. That was stuffed into his pocket.

He then picked up the next gift and tore open one end of the package. He had a little difficulty given the sinew that lined the inside of the blue wrapping. He stared into the other end of the package and froze. His breaths were small and quivered a little. Resting in the bottom of the package was a special tear gem. It was clouded and attached to an old rusted chain. He swiftly rolled the end of the package up tightly and shoved it into his pocket.

When Yukina turned around to look at Hiei, she saw the shocked look on his face. She smiled to herself. Not only was he shocked, he recognized the hiruseki stone she had given to him. When Hiei looked up at her however, she was talking to Kuwabara and Keiko.

In her corner, Marishi smirked at Hiei's reaction to the hiruseki stone.

"_Ms. Marishi?" Yukina questioned the demon after she returned to the temple after one of her many excursions to demon world to scout out the remaining stone._

_The part Korootei looked down in feigned irritation at Yukina. "What is it?"_

"_I wanted to know if you found my brother."_

"_No. That reminds me. You said that a hiruseki stone is given at birth to the children of an ice maiden, correct?"_

"_Well, yes. But why do you ask?"_

"_Because," Marishi pulled a sinew wrapped item out of her pocket and held it out to the girl. "I found this resting on the bank of a river a long time ago, Yukina. It's on part of a chain that's rusted by now. When I first saw it, there was some blood on it, splattered, like it had been cut off its original owner. I got some sinew and placed a spell on the wrapping to hid it's presence to anyone that would seek it."_

"_Why are you giving this to me?"_

"_You said you had a twin brother, right? Whenever you met him, you should return it."_

"_Thank you."_

When everyone was talking Marishi got up and talked to Nuema. "Would you watch over Yukina for the rest of the night?"

Nuema quirked an eyebrow. "Sure. Why, though?"

"I have an errand to run of extreme importance. Make sure no harm comes to her."

Nuema smiled warily. "If I didn't I don't what would kill me first: the elemental stone I have, Hiei, or you."

Marishi scoffed and left the house without even needing to open the door. Nuema sighed and walked over to a window to sit out the rest of the night. She lost herself to memories of several years ago and daydreams.

Hours later Kurama walked over to Nuema and shook her shoulder lightly. Nuema shook her head, blinked several times, and looked up at Kurama. "What?"

"Is everything alright? You seemed kind of sad."

Nuema nodded vehemently, "Yeah. Anything else?"

"Well, the party will be over soon as well."

"Oh." Nuema rubbed the side of her head and looked around for Kuwabara. "Eh? Where's Kuwabara?"

"He left already. Keiko had to leave too for a curfew. Your plan worked well enough. Yukina didn't go under the mistletoe with Kuwabara despite his numerous attempts."

Nuema waved her hand and the colored lights of aura disappeared. They had served their initial purpose since Kuwabara had left. "Good. I need to be getting home as well."

"Would you mind helping me move the snack table back into the dining room first? Yusuke won't and Hiei's really out of it."

"Sure."

The two hefted the snack table up and schlepped it back into the dining room. In Nuema's hurry to leave the house and Kurama's desire to get everyone out of the house so he could clean up before his parents got back, they both forgot about the mistletoe Kurama had placed over the doorframe.

"Hey, look at that." Yusuke said mischievously as they both walked through the double doorway together. The two of them froze in place and looked up at Yusuke. "Mistletoe."

Nuema's shoulders slumped and she looked slowly up at the top of the doorframe, hoping that there wouldn't be a sprig to greet her vision. Despite her hopes, there was one. The corner of her mouth twitched. She sent an irritated message to Kurama. '_This is also why I told you not to put them up. Accidents._' she paused in the message before adding onto it resignedly. '_Let's just get this over with and I'll verbally abuse you for it later._'

They faced each other and Kurama leaned down to kiss her. After the task was completed Kurama walked away from the door to tell Yusuke that he needed to leave. Nuema walked over to Yukina to tell her about Marishi's earlier request. "Eh, Yukina, we both won. Also, Marishi had somewhere to go and asked me to watch after you for the rest of the night. You don't mind staying at my place, along with Shiei, do you?"

"No, not at all. Thank you."

Nuema walked towards the door and waved towards Shiei to come with her. Yukina followed the two out the door.

"So, Shiei, what will you be doing? Staying outside, or staying at my place? My parents are out on vacation for the rest of the week."

Shiei swished the side of her michiyuki to avoid it brushing against some snow. "With all things considered, I'll stay indoors. I take it th-" Shiei paused in her statement from Nuema's warning glance and continued in a different vein, "-at Yukina is staying as well."

"Yes, Shiei."

"Hn."

!-End Chapter-!

Man that was long, but imagine if I hadn't split it into two parts.

Digi's special explanatory footnotes:

1. This is the explanation mentioned in the "Officiality Disclaimer" that separates canon from fanon. I know there are several theories on the Shuuichi-Youko relationship thing. I don't know which one is right because it's so confusing, so I came up with my own that works well. There are three parts to a person: a body, the spiritual connection between the body and the soul, and the soul itself. When Youko entered Shuuichi's unborn baby body it was right after his soul had formed, though Youko thought it hadn't at the time. So Youko's soul replaced the connection between the body and Shuuichi's soul. This addled the soul that was Shuuichi and made him think that he was Youko until Youko came out in the Dark Tournament. Youko came out in the Dark Tournament because when the thing that reversed time on Kurama's body was used, Youko's and Kurama's soul switched places because both souls shared one timeline. Thus the body changed to Youko's. Now Shuuichi knows that Youko and himself are separate entities and Youko will randomly speak up from the connection to Shuuichi. Youko can also take over Shuuichi's mind and he also knows all of Shuuichi's thoughts because of the connection oddity. And Shuuichi can change his body form to that of Youko's without their souls switching places. pants that was a lot of typing

2. The haiku was three lines. Instead of putting it in normal format I opted to separate the three lines by hyphens. I know the third line was a little lame, but whatever.

3. I bet everyone wants to know why Yukina said she couldn't eat chocolate. It's mainly so that Kuwabara's gift to Yukina didn't work. Also, with the way chocolate works on the body, i.e. making a person feel better, it would interfere with a Koormie's ability to cry tear gems. Therefore, upon eating chocolate the Koormie would become physical ill until they either threw up the chocolate, or it was fully digested, not to mention their eyes would sting horribly and they would become weak. She can eat chocolate, she did once, but she really doesn't want to. This also applies for ice cream. However, this only effects full-blooded ice maidens, like Yukina, not half ones like Hiei and Shiei.

4. Kona is a really random manga sounding series that I came up with on the spot. If it shares a name with anything else anyone else came up with it is completely coincidental, and I'm not stealing the name.

Unexplained probable question footnotes:

1. "Why was Keiko able to tell that her gift, although lame and cheesy, came from Yusuke?" Well, when people kiss under mistletoe the dude's supposed to take a berry off of the mistletoe. However that would be too conspicuous for Yusuke, so he pulled the berry off one of the pieces of mistletoe before he gave the bag to Kurama and put it in a box.

2. "Why did Yusuke and Kuwabara get mangas? Lame!" Well, first and foremost, I was running out of gift ideas. That's the story with Yusuke. Then I noticed that I forgot to have Kuwabara receive a gift, thus I felt stupid. So I had Marishi tell Yukina that it was very likely that Kuwabara was not going to receive a gift with the way she saw the group's dynamics work out. Yukina, being as kind a soul as she is, felt bad about this. So she asked Shizuru, Kuwabara's older sister, about a good gift for him and she told her to get him the next manga in his favorite series and gave her the money for it.

3. "Where did Yukina's charm come from?" Korootei, the race that Marishi is part of, is very similar to the Koormie. However they don't cry gems. When they shed a tear, the tear changes into a charm that behaves according to the Korootei's mindset at the time. When crying in sadness, stress, mental breakdowns or guilt, though, they're just tears. When crying from physical pain they turn into charms that can heal the injury. So the charm Yukina received was from Marishi and Marishi forced herself to cry with the mindset that would produce a charm that would form a barrier when Yukina needs it, so long as she's wearing the bracelet.

4. "Why in hell did you have Yukina give Hiei the hiruseki stone he lost?" While it's true that Yukina could have given him her stone, since this and its prequel replaced the Three Kings entirely, I felt that really didn't work out like it did in the anime. Yukina gave Hiei her hiruseki stone in the anime in the trust that he would give it to her brother if he found him in the demon world alive. Also, she felt that Hiei was what she thought her brother would be. In this story she still believes that Hiei is what her brother would be, and wants to call him brother. However, I also thought that Hiei and Yukina should have their respective hiruseki stones like Hiei wanted it to be at the end of the anime itself. (when he asked Kurama to give Yukina back her stone)


	10. Warmer Days

Ah another chapter. Enjoy. There will be a time skip to mid-March, near the end of the school year.

* * *

Chapter Ten: Warmer Days 

It was a Saturday. It had been well over two months since the Christmas party. Every time since then that Nuema looked at Kurama, she had felt weird inside. She ignored the feeling as she worked with him to get the last project of the year done. Hiei and Shiei were in their group, but they were sitting there. They feigned working whenever the teacher looked in their direction, but other then that they did nothing. There was an hour left of school.

A man walked in the door, the counselor in charge of her class. "Excuse me. Ms. Zegai, you've been signed out for the day."

She stood up and walked towards the door. "Seriously? With only an hour left?" The counselor allowed her to walk out of the room and closed the door. She walked with him down to the main door after getting her stuff. "So, what is it?"

"They're waiting for you at the gate." The counselor left back to his office.

Nuema quirked both eyebrows for a split-second, "Eh? Okay." She opened the door and stopped short. Waiting there at the gate were two uniformed police officers. Taking a moment to reassure herself she walked down the path towards the gate and up to the men.

"Ms. Zegai, I'd presume." The one the right said.

"Yeah. So, what is it?"

"There's a body that needs identification."

"A...body?"

"Yes," the one on the left said, "Please come with us."

Marishi stood one of the branches in a nearby tree. She was bracing herself by placing her right hand on the trunk of the tree. She pulled a black chord necklace out from her pocket. The pendant fit perfectly in the palm of her hand. It was disk shaped with several holes bore into the amber surface.

"I guess he wasn't strong enough in the end. This needs a new owner." She disappeared from the branch to search for a new holder of the elemental stone. There was precious little time to work with.

A half hour later when she had walked down town to the police office Nuema was ushered into a corner's office. Lying there, cold as ice and deathly pale was a young boy. While in life it looked like he had been the lively type, there were numerous healing scabs on his knees, elbows and arms. He had short dark brown hair, a few shades darker then Nuema's and his eyes had been closed. When Nuema saw him she gasped and put her hand over her mouth.

"No..."

The police officer that had spoken first shifted on his feet, "Do you recognize him?"

"Of course I do. He's my little brother." She closed her eyes to try and stop the tears from coming.

"His last name is different though."

"We were separated when we were younger...after our mother died and our father went to jail. I...how did he die?"

"We don't know yet, but we think he died of natural causes."

Nuema shook her head, "If you didn't know he was my brother, why did you get me?"

"You were mentioned on a slip of paper we found in his pocket. No one else was listed. What's his name?"

"It's...Taishu...I believe his adoptive parents were Agan...Could I go now?" The police officer nodded. She walked out the door and into town. She didn't want to look at anyone, so she kept her eyes riveted to the ground as she walked to the outskirts of town and climbed up a hill that overlooked the city. She sat down little over an hour later.

While Nuema was walking to the hill Marishi found Yusuke and Keiko in the park. The two were walking along talking in street clothes. This was their Saturday off of school. She jumped down a few yards in front of them and they stopped walking. Yusuke squinted his eyes and scrutinized her before recognizing the dark demon.

"Yusuke."

"Well hey there, Marishi. Can I help you?"

"You know her, Yusuke?"

Yusuke looked at Keiko and nodded. "Sure, she a guardian type person that's protecting Yukina right now. She was at Kurama's Christmas party, remember?"

Keiko blinked in sudden realization. "Oh yeah."

Yusuke turned back to the part Korootei. "So, what can I do for you on this lovely day?"

"Cut the crap." she strode over to him and held out the amber colored stone to him. "And take this."

"Why should I?"

"This is the elemental stone of spirit. You're the only one with enough spiritual aura to sustain a bond with it. It killed its last owner. There are only three minutes left before the stone shatters."

"Great and everyone will die, right? Alright fine."

Just as Yusuke reached out for the stone a lesser winged demon jumped out from the trees and grabbed it out of Marishi's hand. It landed on a tree branch on the other side of the path it had come from. It laughed jeeringly at them, "Now that I have the elemental stone of spirit, I'll be unstoppable."

Marishi rolled her eyes curled the thumb, ring, and pinky fingers of her right hand while making the index and middle fingers stand straight up. She pointed the two fingers at the weak daemon. "Daken'jai."

The creature exploded in black flames. There weren't even ashes to fall softly to the ground. The amber stone clattered to the ground and rolled over to Keiko's feet. She bent down to pick up the stone. Marishi didn't try to stop her, she didn't have the aura for the stone to try and bond with her, so she was safe. That was what she thought until amber and cream-colored electric bolts pulsed down Keiko's body starting from the stone. The girl screamed in agony.

"Keiko! What's happening to her?" Yusuke turned on Marishi.

"The stone's trying to bond with her. She doesn't have enough aura to sustain the bond. She'll probably die."

"What? No! Keiko!" Yusuke ran over to her and grabbed the stone to try and take it away from her.

"I wouldn't do that. It won't work," she warned him, sounding bored.

"Shut up!" he grabbed at the spirit stone despite the warning. The stone wouldn't leave Keiko's hand, though. It seemed as if it had been glued down onto her palm. However the electric bolts stopped and the stone glowed calmly. Keiko stopped screaming and collapsed into Yusuke's front.

Yusuke panted as he asked, "What...just...happened?" he grabbed onto Keiko's arms to keep her up.

Marishi stalked over to the two and stared intently at the stone dangling on the chord that had become wrapped around Keiko's wrist. She prodded the stone with her index finger, "Kan'as moche teu." The stone pulsed with aura once and quieted. Marishi stood and shook her head at Yusuke.

"It seems that by your interference, the stone mistook your aura for hers. It bonded, and she's still alive. It will be a day before she wakes. That is if her body can take the strain."

"Can I do anything?"

"Right now? Let her lie down and rest. Don't let the stone leave her for a second, that will kill her."

"Alright, come on Keiko." Yusuke put the stone into Keiko's pants pocket and hefted her up in his arms. "Let's get you home."

Down in the city streets a young boy of eleven slid against a tree. He was being careful not to press to hard against the bark. His brown hair was cut short and he had black eyes. "Well, I remember fainting while walking in down town. Then the next thing I knew I was staring at myself with the crowd of people. They kept passing through me and no one noticed me. That was a while back. I keep shouting at the people but they don't notice me." He looked up at the sky, talking to no one in particular. "So did I die?"

"Yeah." A girl's cheery voice told him from nearby. The boy jumped back, eyes widening. Botan was floating on her oar in mid-air only a foot away.

"Ah! Who are you?"

"My name's Botan. You must be Taishu."

"Yeah, I am. But if I'm dead, what are you?"

"I'm the grim reaper, silly." She stood off her oar, picked it up in her right hand, and looked at him. Her eyes were closed as she smiled, her tongue stuck out a little.

"The grim reaper, huh? Does that mean I'm going to heaven?"

"Yep. I'm your guide. Ready to go?"

"Well, I want to see my sister first. Is that alright?"

Botan nodded. "Sure is." She sat back down on her oar, "Come on, get on. So where's your sister?"

"There's only one place she would be."

After school had let out for the day Kurama went off in search of Nuema. He had heard the buzz as he walked out of the school that one of the female students had walked out earlier and had been escorted by two police officers. The redhead was fairly certain that the person they were talking about was Nuema. He was concerned about her, and curious as to why two officers had come to take her out of school early. He dropped his stuff at his house and left again.

Kurama traced her energy to a hill overlooking the city. He found her curled into a ball half an hour later. Her arms were resting on her knees and her face was buried into her forearms. Her shoulders trembled minutely.

"Nuema?" He stepped over to her. At the sound of his voice she looked up at him. A few tears rolled down her cheeks. He looked down at her with eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong?"

"I...my brother died." She closed her eyes as more tears fell. "When I was signed out earlier, they needed me to identify him."

Kurama knelt down next to her and rested a hand on one of her shoulders. He had no words to say to her. He had never lost one he loved, and he hoped that he never would. Nuema twisted to face him and buried her head into his chest sobbing silently.

Botan and Taishu flew up onto the hill. She stared at Nuema and then at Kurama and back to Nuema.

"Wait, she's your sister?"

"Yeah, that's Zaira. But who's that guy?"

"His name's Kurama. He's one of her friends."

"Really? Can she hear me?"

"No, no one can hear you. Except me."

"Good. He cupped both hands to his mouth, "Glad you finally got a boyfriend, sis!" He smiled to himself and dropped his hands. "Okay. I'm good."

Botan looked down at the boy, eyebrows knotted in confusion. "Why do you say that?"

"Well, when our mom died, she was pretty broke up, but she didn't let anyone see her cry, except for me. She's always kept things inside like that. She only lets people she cares about see her tears. Besides, can't I make fun of her?"

Elsewhere deep inside a forest Hiei shoved his sword into his sheath snappishly. He glared in irritation at Shiei. She was getting up and rubbed the side of her mouth with the back of her hand. The two had been training. When Hiei had gotten fed up with his loose black shirt he had decided to take it off, as normal. Shiei had just stopped moving and took several punches; one of them landed her into the trunk of a tree. This happened every time they went to train now.

He stalked over to her position and slammed his palm into the bark near her head. "Why don't you defend yourself? This is training. You should at least move."

The response provoked by Hiei's statement was a punch to the jaw. Having not expected her to punch him, Hiei was sent flying backwards a few feet. Shiei had averted her eyes from Hiei and looked to the side. Before Hiei could say another word Shiei had dashed to grab her michiyuki and covered her red T-shirt with the overcoat. Her back was facing him.

"If you aren't happy, train with the fox next time." She flipped her braid out from under the black cloth and disappeared.

* * *

Yay. The only plot in the chapter was Keiko getting that stone, otherwise it's pointless fluff crap that my subconscious wouldn't let me get away with not writing. Grr... 

I needed Keiko to have the stone because I was like ignoring Yusuke and Kuwabara and that was a good way to bring them back into the story. Not that it wouldn't be a fresh breath compared to the anime...but most fan fictions ignore them, and that really isn't cool...

Also, the thing about Taishu…shall be explained later. It's demi-important...actually, it's not. So I'll tell yeh now. The original story was that Taishu had the spirit stone that Keiko got, but it overloaded his body and he died. I dunno.


	11. Training

Ah, Chapter Eleven, this rapid updating must be annoying. This chapter title reminds me of chapter fourteen in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance...ah well...its actually nothing of the sort

* * *

Chapter Eleven: Training

Kurama, Hiei, Nuema and Shiei were eating lunch for the last time that year. It was a week to the last day of school. Shiei was almost grinning to herself.

'_To be rid of this outfit at last._'

Nuema chuckled. "Yeah. Graduation this year. Should be fun, fun, fun."

Hiei and Shiei looked sharply up at the brunette for that statement. "What?"

"Oh, don't worry. You two won't be involved. Koenma took care of that, this is your last day. It's just me and Shuuichi."

Shiei nodded and Hiei said, "Good. The last thing I need is to graduate from a human school."

"Yeah, that would be embarrassing for demons like you two. Hey, Shuuichi? Looking forward to graduation?"

Kurama looked up at her. "Yes." He was partially glad to be graduating high school so that he did not have to worry about balancing school and his missions from the spirit world. He was looking forward to graduation for another reason; he would finally be rid of the four girls that plagued him non-stop.

Nuema looked over at Shiei as something struck, "Hoi, Shizuka? I saw your finals score. How'd you and Ryuu get better then nothing? On all of the tests actually..."

"I read your mind for the answers and gave them to Hi-" She paused growled, after six months she was still not used to calling Hiei by his alias on school grounds, "Ryuu."

"Ingenious." Nuema said shrugging. "You know I would have given them to you."

"Oh well." Shiei said sarcastically. She looked curiously up at Nuema. "Just so I know. What excuse did the toddler come up with?"

Kurama said, "I believe it was something do to with needing to return to Kitikawa for family reasons. We were to take your diplomas after the ceremony and mail them to you."

Shiei grinned as an idea suited for pyromaniac came to her. "Can we burn them instead?"

Nuema shrugged. "Yeah, guess so. Just don't let anyone here you talking like that."

"Fine." she paused, allowing another fiery thought to pass through her mind. "_It will be burned, along with this damned skirt._"

Up on the roof of the school building a figure smirked. She crouched in the shadows. "So that's what you're up to these days, Shiei. Let's see what I can do to you...and your friends."

After the day had ended and everyone had left the building, the shadow moved and followed Kurama and Hiei. They walked towards Kurama's house so that the shorter demon could change out of the uniform for the last time. Hiei wasn't running along because he wanted to speak to his friend.

"Kurama."

"What, Hiei?"

"I need to train with you."

"Why don't you train with Shiei?"

"She gets distracted during training. It's pathetic."

"Alright, give me an hour. I need to make sure that my father won't need help today."

"Fine. I need to check on Yukina." With that he ran off.

The figure thought to herself. "_Yukina...I'll find out about her later...what about this human?_"

Meanwhile Yusuke ambled over Keiko as she walked out of her school. She looked at him and her two friends stared in confusion at the teen.

"Hey, Keiko, who is that? He's looking right at you."

"Oh, he's a friend. I used to know him in junior high. I'll see you guys later." Keiko waved to her friends as she went over to the detective. "Hey, Yusuke."

"Hey. Come on, I'll walk home with you."

"Okay." After they were clear of the student body. Yusuke felt secure about telling her the reason he had come to wait for her after school.

"Keiko, did you take that stone thing with you?"

"What? Oh this?" Keiko pulled the amber crystal out from under her uniform. "I nearly got in trouble for it in gym though. Why do I have to keep it hidden?"

"Quick, hide it again." after she had done so, Yusuke continued. "Alright, remember how I told you about how Kurama and Nuema had these things that attract demons? Well, I got the full story out of Kurama yesterday. There are five of these stones. You've got one of them. I'm not sure, but I think hiding it makes sure that no one can sense the stone. Those two have barely been bothered at all during the year, and it was outside of school only. See, I can't go into school with you, so I don't want any demons to sense it while I can't protect you. And you can't leave it with me."

"Because now I depend on the energy the stone holds and I'll die, right?"

"Yeah...but how did you know?"

"Marishi told me after I woke up yesterday."

"Okay. Your school finishes up before the next full moon, right?"

"The day before."

"Good, you need to come with me and everyone else to Genkai's temple. There will be a lot of demons that night and since her temple is out of the way, we go there every full moon."

"Alright."

When they made it to Keiko's house Yusuke stopped her before she went in the door.

"Keiko, look, if anything seems weird, like there's a demon, run and try to find one of us. Okay?"

"Sure, Yusuke."

"Good." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll see you later." With that he turned and left.

In the forest two swords parried themselves. One made of steel and the other grass. Kurama landed two feet back from where the blow had occurred, Hiei landing four feet away from Kurama.

The lunged forwards again, trading blows many times before landing on the ground. This session had been waging on for several minutes by now. Hiei smirked. "It's been a long time since you used that, Kurama."

Kurama shrugged. "I didn't feel it wise to use my rose whip against your sword."

"Hn." Hiei silently agreed with the logic. The whip was an unarguably efficient weapon, but it offered Kurama many blind spots. Still, he wished that he could be training with Shiei. However training with her had started to become less efficient then trying to train Kuwabara. She was skilled, but it annoyed him when she stopped fighting back after a while.

He shook his head to clear his mind and raised his sword to block one of Kurama's attacks. "_Great, now _I'm _the one not fighting back._" Hiei thought sarcastically as he continued blocking, dodging, and attacking.

The training session waged on for several more minutes. When both parties were tired out, they sat down where they were. Kurama let go of the grip on the hilt of the sword he held. The stem unraveled itself from around his hand and wrist as the blade turned into another, smaller blade. A blade made of grass.

"So, Hiei," Kurama started between breathes, "you dazed out a few times. That's not good in battle."

Hiei offered Kurama a glare as a rebuttal. "That doesn't happen normally."

"What was the cause, Hiei? You can't have that happening anywhere else."

Hiei growled and narrowed his glare. As normal, the glare had absolutely no affect on Kurama's indifferent face. "Answer my question first."

"What is it?"

"You were slow at first. That's not good in battle."

"I've just adapted to sparring with Nuema. I haven't had a real battle with someone else for a while."

"Fine. I was distracted."

"By what?"

"How pathetic Shiei's been getting in fights lately."

Kurama got the distinct impression that Hiei wasn't telling the entire truth. However he let it pass. Kurama knew that whatever it was, he did not want to talk about it.

Elsewhere in the forest Nuema was resting against a tree trunk, flipping through a book absentmindedly. Shiei was barely constraining herself above the brunette.

"When are we going to start training?"

"Right now, Shiei, I'm training your patience." She flipped through the book. She was not in the particular mood to engage in any form of physical fighting, even if it was only sparring.

"What does that mean?"

"It just means you're too impatient. It's lost you many battles against weaker demons, that and your stubbornness. You need to work on it."

"Shut up, human."

"Why don't you go train with Hiei if you're having such problems waiting for me?"

"He's training with the fox, I believe. Besides, I can't spar with him properly anymore."

Nuema looked up at her friend of old. "Why's that?"

"Nothing, human."

"Well, obviously since you haven't started "Hn!"ing me yet."

"Hn."

"There we go." She said as she rolled her eyes. She flipped to a page in the book that held a large picture of a fox. She closed the book and lay on the ground next to her. She ran a hand through her hair in frustration.

Shiei peered down at her. She abused her mind reading ability and was torn between smirking or being disturbed. She had just caught Nuema thinking about Kurama smiling. She settled for a smirk, "Hn."

Nuema froze and glared up at Shiei. "What did I tell you about reading my mind, Shiei?"

"I can't help it if you don't block your thoughts. You've been thinking about the fox quite a lot lately."

"Your point. You got jealous whenever some obsessive fan girls looked at Hiei."

"Hn. Not true."

"Shiei, I can read emotions as well as you do minds. Don't lie to me."

"Hn. Are we going to train or not?"

Nuema stood up and laughed at Shiei, much to her chagrin. "Alright fine. If this is bothering you so much." She drew the katana from her side.

"Hn." Shiei jumped down and drew her sword as well.

* * *

Japanese Culture Footnotes:

1. "Why was Yusuke able to wait for Keiko outside of her school?" That's because in Japan high school is a completely unnecessary three-year level of education, as I hear. Yusuke being Yusuke did not go for high school. He barely graduated junior high. Enjoy.

2. About the graduation. It's being skipped over. I'm going straight into there month long end of year break. Yeah, their year ends in March. Go to the following link if you're curious about the graduation ceremony.


	12. Into the Night

Sorry for the delay in chapters, faithful reviewers. This was written a very long time ago, but I've been waiting on my friend to translate the chapters. My apologies. Anyways, I'm updating this just because I don't want to leave the plot just hanging around like that.

* * *

_Into the night_

* * *

It had been a day since their graduation. It had been a day since the end of school. There was no rest for the weary. It was the middle of the night and the demonic horde of the full moon was still going strong. Keiko was inside with Yukina. Marishi was in the room slaying all the demons that managed to make it past the others. The other seven fighters each covered a section surrounding the temple.

Much later into the night, near the morning hours, the demonic horde had become a trickle and everyone was exhausted. Then a fresh wave numbered by twenty-one demons came, and they were much stronger then the lesser demons that had been tiring the group the entire night.

While the others were busy fighting, and not slaughtering, two of the newer higher class demons, seven managed to sneak their way into the temple. As Marishi sensed them nearing the room she stood up.

"You two get in the back. Yukina, use the stone if you need to." Even for an A level demon like her would have difficulty fighting seven demons of equal strength would be a challenge. She could sense that most of her magic wouldn't have much of an effect on the brutes, either.

Yukina and Keiko moved to the back of the room that adjoined another room. Yukina pulled her ice stone out from under her obi. She interlaced the cool gray bead string around her hands and fingers. Moments later the door was filled with the ominous figures of five demons. Marishi pulled out her thin sword for the first time that night.

"Move, wench, we're here for the girls."

Marishi narrowed her eyes, "That doesn't agree with my agenda."

"We need those girls. Just move aside and let us take them."

"That's...not going to happen."

"Fine. So be it." The demon that had been talking to her moved and let the other four surround her, along with him. "Get the girls now."

Two demons burst through the back wall sending wood splinters everywhere. Marishi cursed herself for not realizing the other two were there sooner. The five demons around her moved in. "Yukina, the stone."

Yukina looked up at Marishi after that statement. She nodded numbly. The two demons came nearer to them. "Nisu!" She closed her eyes as a chill wind formed around her and expanded to include Keiko. Then the swirling wind hardened into a dome barrier made of clear glass-like ice. Yukina shivered and looked up. The demons were pounding on the barrier to try and get through to the girls.

Marishi sighed in relief and focused on her five-sided battlefront. She had a difficult time dodging and blocking every blow that came her way. Minutes later there was a sound of shattering glass. Yukina and Keiko scrambled forward to avoid a blow by the two demons trying to capture them. Yukina was panting. Using the barrier had drained her.

Marishi sliced the head off of one of the demons. She threw her palm towards the direction of an outside wall. "Anen." most of the wall disappeared nearest Yukina and Keiko. "Run. The others will help you." She turned and continued fighting the four remaining demons. Keiko helped Yukina up and they mad a dash for the exit and ran outside.

Since the sun was starting to rise the entire group was gathered in the front of the temple where most of the demons came from now. Shiei glanced at the skirts of the forest. She knew there was a demon in the shadowy depths of the trees somewhere. She couldn't pinpoint where exactly. She ran headlong into the forest. There was only one way to find out where it was.

Everyone looked over when they heard the two girls yell for help as they turned the corner. Yukina had slowed down considerably and Keiko was going slowly from tire. The entire group ran towards them to help out. However, by the time the gap was closed halfway the demons caught the girls. They caught their arms and held sharp claws to their necks.

"Don't move or they die." everyone froze in place and stood watching them anxiously. "Good. Shanleconloteshafa."Shimmering silver lines were traced on the ground surrounding them. It formed a complex series of symbols in less then a second. Then they were absorbed into shimmering lines and then that too disappeared.

After she had rushed into the forest, Shiei stopped between five trees. This was definitely where the demon was. "Stop hiding, coward."

A feminine voice called out mockingly to Shiei. "Tecka sha quecote shanta'lo tenna, Shiei. Ca seta de calay shika conlote shefa stana quecote landela."

Shiei froze in anger. Her eyes changed to the exact shade of human blood as the potency of her blood lust tripled. "Kaisentei. Where the hell are you? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Shucka, Shiei, shucka. Sonte quecote shanna conlote shanta tenna, konlo shanatela shickcons, conace conlote Makai. Tecka siala lenda shien solateana lata. Quecote jahna sha." The voice stopped and then said something. "Tecka jahna dema teelo'nei conlote sha quecote lenda sholen. Tanaka jahna dema camalon. Shinta shanatena'co." The demonic presence faded. A block of wood shaped like a diamond with an X in it and swirls at the corners feel from the tree. Shiei didn't waste a second to burn it.

Shiei snarled, glared and cursed the voice. After a second she turned on her heel and stormed off back to the front of the temple. What had Kaisentei meant by that? She didn't have any friends. The people she trusted were capable enough.

Hiei clenched his right hand into a fist. When he found out where they had taken Yukina and who had done it. They. Were. Dead. Marishi walked up from around the corner. The dark shoulder of her trench coat had become a red off black. She looked around for the two girls and cursed upon not seeing them. "Where are they?"

"Some demons grabbed them." Yusuke said, angrily. "What happened? Why weren't you with them?"

"Calm down, idiot. I thought that they could make it to you before the demons got to them. I thought it would be safer then in the room with seven A-level demons at once. Had I not needed to fight so much earlier, I could have taken on all seven easily. But I was running out of energy to do higher demon magic that would destroy them, and they were immune to lower levels."

"Yeah? So, there were more demons then normal."

"Listen you-"

Nuema sighed as it threatened to break into an argument. "Arguing is not going to help us here. We need to find them quickly."

Marishi groaned. "It's harder then that. They were taken to Makai from the energy left here. Poor transportation spell. Until I know the level of Makai they're on I can't find them. It will take me a long time to find them if I search each plane."

Shiei walked in at that point. She noticed that the two weak girls were missing. She read Hiei's mind to find out her suspicion was correct. It only served to anger her more. What cowardly tactic was Kaisentei trying to pull? "You won't have to. They're on the first plane."

"What?" the group asked in unison as they turned to look at Shiei. Minus Hiei and Kurama who remained silent. Kuwabara peered forward as if you examine her.

"How do you know that? Seems pretty suspicious."

"I didn't do it, if that's what you mean, human fool." The temperature rose threateningly. It had already spiked the moment Shiei entered the area. "There was a demonic aura in the forest. When I went to look that's what I was told."

"Why didn't you bring the demon back?" Yusuke asked.

"It was a prop with a spell placed on it to tell me that." Shiei glared. "_She knew I'd go there. Damn her._"

"Hey, guys!" All eyes fell to Botan as she rode down towards them on her oar. "Master Koenma wanted me to see how things were going down here." She jumped to the ground to look at them. "What...?"

"Well tell Koenma that we need to go to Makai. Some demons kidnapped Keiko and Yukina." Yusuke snapped at her.

"Oh dear."

Out of nowhere a jingle started to play. The sound originated from the pocket of Kurama's pants. Kurama furrowed his eyebrows and pulled a cell phone from the pocket. He put the phone up to his ear. Everyone looked at him in annoyance.

"Shuuichi Minamino," a pause. "Yes, Father?" Suddenly his face changed into one of worry during a longer pause. "Missing?" yet another pause. "Of course, Father. I'll be there soon." He pressed a button and replaced the phone into his pocket. "I need to go home first."

Nuema held up her hand to stem Yusuke's comments. "That'll take hours, Kurama. What happened?"

"My mother went missing. I need to go home. There's a note for me, but in a language my father doesn't understand."

"What?! But it'll take forever to get there!"

Marishi grumbled, "Shut up. I'll transport us back to your city. Take care of anything you'll need to do there." Before the others could off a word edgewise Marishi raised her right hand up and twisted it before bringing it down. "Dasen moche iue cansei humando."

The entire group was turned into motes of light that flew at bullet speed to the human city. In the middle of the park less then a minute later the motes stopped and reformed. Marishi jumped into a tree. "Get back here in an hour."

The entire group had decided to accompany Kurama to see the note. Kurama opened the door and walked in. He looked around and waved the others inside. He took off his shoes and turned when he heard footsteps. He looked over at his stepfather.

"Oh, Shuuichi, it's you." He had short black hair. His glasses were halfway down his nose. Kurama grimaced. "So, who are they?"

"My friends. Where's the note you mentioned?"

"Oh. It's by the telephone." Kurama walked over to the stand that had the telephone on it. He picked up the one piece of paper on it and stared down at the white sheet of paper. He glanced over the text, only recognizing his name written on the left side. He shook his head and walked towards the rest of the group. He held it out to Shiei and Marishi.

"I don't know this language. Do you?" Shiei looked up at the note.

Shiei snatched the note out of Kurama's hand, read it once and crumpled it. "It's the same thing that I was told earlier." she tossed it to the ground. "If we're all settled, let's go."

Another boy walked in, he looked three years younger then Kurama. He had short black hair and was wearing casual clothes. "Go where, bro?"

Kurama sighed. "A few other friends were also kidnapped as well."

Nuema spoke up. "But...it's a matter within this group only. It won't help anyone at all to call the police."

Kurama nodded, agreeing with her. "We'll be back within the day."

When they go back to the park Marishi was pacing and waiting for them. She looked up. "Finally. The hour was nearly up." she strode over to them all. "You, spirit ferry, are you coming?"

"Yes, of course. I can heal."

"Fine. If you're all ready." They nodded. Marishi spread her arms wide and closed her eyes. "Sanin moche iue sere manen ter kan..." Her orange oculars opened, "Makai."

The ground below them opened into a swirling vortex. They sunk into it quickly. During the passage they all felt varying degrees of vertigo. A minute and a half later they were transported to the demon world.

"Keep your heads on." Marishi said scanning the area. She pulled out her elemental stone and lifted it into the air. She then replaced the crystal. "They're beyond the range controlled by the spirit world. Sanin moche iue sere jukans." They were transformed into small bright orbs once again and sent flying towards a large castle. They landed and reformed a mile away.

"You know, I'm getting sick from all those transportations." Yusuke said to Marishi.

"Yes. They do have bad effects on humans. But there's no faster way."

Silently, the group began their trek towards the castle.

* * *

Digi's Special explanatory footnotes:

1. How the A-Class+ demons move so easily between Ningenkai and Makai. It's very simple. These demons were proficient and well versed in two forms of magic. Delis and Marishi in Cercain magic, i.e. ancient demon magic as Nuema put it. Next is Shato magic. Shiei's uncle Shatolonga developed Shato magic. Yes, the dude was a narcissist. It works on the same principles as Cercain magic, sort of. Both types of magic open a wormhole if you will that takes them directly from one world to the other, bypassing the Makai barrier. Very few people, humans and demons alike, know either form of magic.


	13. Helping Friends

I'm nearing the end. Who-hoo!

* * *

_Helping friends_

* * *

The group reached the castle an hour and a half later. On the way to the stone building they had several encounters with some C and B-class demons. They stared up at the fifty-foot tall doors. Shiei glared, reading the transcription on the doors. Marishi walked forward to test the door, and found that they wouldn't budge.

"Shanaga lenda shien galata loton Shatolonga." Shiei waited until the doors had started to move on their own accord before adding to the statement, "'S shinaka." Then she spat out a mild oath. "I will see her dead for that." Everyone glanced at Shiei, but no one questioned her or why she had said that. Her shoulders had begun to shake in anger the moment she had said the last word in the foreign language. It wasn't a good sign for the next person to talk to her.

They silently moved into the castle. The door slammed shut on Kuwabara's heels. Several flame torches ignited along the walls in the room. Shiei's attention was fixed on the sole figure in the center of the room. The figure was the same height as Shiei. She had long ice blue hair with strands of black. She had the same face shape and eye color as the irate demon. She wore a simple long sleeve blue gray shirt with that diamond symbol over the left side of her chest and black pants.

"Well, I'm surprised you said that, Shiei."

"It was so I could get in and kill you. Like I killed that bastard."

"By all means, you can try if you'd like," That was all the invitation that Shiei required. In an instant her katana was loosed. The black tip of the sword sliced the female in a diagonal motion. The injury turned to wisps of smoke and then healed. Shiei glared, jumped back to the group and sheathed the sword. "But you can't. This is just a clone. I'm not that stupid."

"Could have fooled me," Shiei said, barely intelligible over her grumbling.

The figure sighed. "Here's the deal. You go up and get your friends and I'll kill you all in person."

Nuema spoke up, resenting this person. "No dice. Instead how about we go up, get our friends, and kill you in person?"

Yusuke nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like a plan. I like it."

The female laughed before the clone turned to smoke and disappeared. Shiei snarled once before walking forward. When the others didn't follow her she turned to face them. She favored all of their faces with an impatient glower.

"I'm not here to rescue your friends," her eyes narrowed. "Are you coming?"

"Sure, but how do you know about this place and where to go?" Yusuke asked.

Shiei didn't respond verbally. She opted to turn her back to him and stalked off towards one of the far side of the room. Nuema jogged to catch up with Shiei. Kurama and Hiei followed after that. Marishi and Botan went with the others. Yusuke and Kuwabara looked at each other and shrugged. They ran to catch up with everyone else.

After an hour's climb, they made it to the top of the castle. Most of the time that was spent was not spent climbing stairs. In fact most of the time was spent going in a winding maze pattern on every floor to get to the next flight. At the very top of the donjon they were faced by another set of wooden doors with an inscription engraved into the surface. Shiei growled at the words. There was no way in hell she was going to say that. She turned to Nuema.

"Can you use your telekinesis to open this? They're in the next room."

Nuema shrugged and walked up to the door. She didn't question why Shiei didn't want to say whatever it was that was cut into the wood panels. All she knew was that it had to be something Shiei really didn't want to say. She rapped on the door with the back of her hand along the framework. She nodded and stepped back from the door. She closed her eyes and was immediately engulfed in a honey colored aura.

Nuema raised a hand to the door and the aura leapt explosively from her body and slammed into the door. It shuddered, but remained standing. She looked back towards the group. "Hey, Kuwabara or Yusuke. Punch this thing."

Yusuke took a running start and raised his fist. The door fell down in half on the stone floor. The door revealed a small room twelve feet by fifteen feet. Inside the room were three females: Yukina, Keiko, and a woman that was in her forties. She had long black hair and brown eyes. Keiko and the older woman were near the ice maiden. They had been trying to comfort her as much as they could with their hands shackled in front of them. Scattered over the floor near Yukina were a few tear gems. Her bright red eyes were dulled with pain. The three were looking up at the group.

Kurama, Yusuke and Kuwabara ran over to them. Kurama knelt by the adult, Yusuke went next to Keiko, and Kuwabara crouched in front of Yukina.

"Mother, are you alright?"

"Keiko! You okay?"

"What's wrong, Yukina?"

Kurama's mom nodded. "Yes, I'm fine, Shuuichi. However, this one's in a lot of pain." She motioned her head to Yukina. She seemed to be handling the fact that when Yukina cried her tears turned to gems pretty well.

Keiko nodded. "She says it's the cuffs that are hurting her so much."

Kuwabara looked down at them, and then back up at Yukina. "What, are they too tight or something?" She shook her head. "Then what is it?"

Kurama peered down at the shackles around the girl's slender wrists. His eyebrows furrowed. "They're made of a material that hurts ice demons. It has much the same affect as putting a talisman on her skin." He looked at his mother, he had felt her muscles tense the moment he had said demon. The corner of his mouth twitched as he grinned in chagrin.

Yusuke stood and looked around. "There's gotta be a key here somewhere."

Hiei walked forward and pulled something out of his cloak pocket. It was the lock pick that he had gotten at the Christmas party. He looked down at Kuwabara. "Move. This will work." He crouched down where Kuwabara had been. He lifted up Yukina's wrist by raising her forearms. He noticed that there were two locks.

Hiei inserted the pick into keyhole, using his aura to have all of the spikes contract into the lone spine. Once it was in some of the spikes remerged and filled the gaps from a regular key. He twisted the pick and then pulled it out. The right half of the shackle unlocked and freed Yukina's right wrist. The skin where the shackle had been was red and soft. Some parts were even discolored.

Hiei's mouth became a firm line as the lock for the other half of shackle slid under Yukina's wrist. He grabbed onto the part with the keyhole with his left hand and rotated it up so he could undo that lock as well. Yukina saw the corner of his right eye twitch. He quickly slid the pick in, not needing to retract all of the spines once again. He freed her other wrist and tossed the shackles into the far wall.

"Kurama." When the red-haired boy looked over at Hiei he tossed the pick towards him. Kurama caught the pick and got the hint that he was to free the other two. Hiei stood up and walked towards the door, left hand curled into a fist.

Yukina managed to catch a glimpse of the burn that had formed on his hand, however. She smiled to herself; he was her brother if the metal had burned his hand. Botan raced over to Yukina and used her powers to heal the injuries on the girl's wrists.

'_Stupid head, why did you grab onto that when you knew it would hurt you?_' Shiei berated him telepathically.

'_Someone had to do it._' Hiei sent back as he glowered at her.

'_Let me see that hand, stupid head._" Hiei raised the fist up to Shiei in the shadows. Making sure that no one was looking, Shiei's right hand glowed red as she used her demonic powers to heal the burn mark.

In a minute the other two were free and Kurama had returned Hiei's demonic lock pick. Hiei pocketed it. Shiei stepped out of the shadows.

"If we're all ready, let's go back. It's time for a little pay back."

As they retraced their steps, Kurama and his mom walked a little slower then the rest.

"Shuuichi, what did you mean by ice demon before? Why do they keep calling you Kurama?"

Kurama smiled in humiliation for the second time that day. The older woman recognized the face he made. It wasn't very often that he showed any expression, let alone that face. Still, she recognized the fact that it meant he had done something stupid.

"I'll explain later, mother."

* * *

Yeah! The chapter is done. It's a little shorter then the others, but what the heck. It's done. 


	14. Demonic Hordes

I apologize for taking so long between updates. I'm sure the next few chapters will come quickly enough._  
_

* * *

_Demonic Hordes_

* * *

The group felt it before they were on the same floor. It was the aura of no less then a thousand demons milling about in the room below them. When they reached the end of the flight of stairs to the next floor down Marishi looked back at the group.

From the previous night, only half of Yusuke and Kuwabara's spiritual aura had returned. Keiko, who had practically no aura before, had had her aura strengthen to that of one of the lower classes of demons over the previous week. Yukina was still reeling from using the barrier the night before and the shackles. Shiei and Hiei hadn't used any demonic attacks, but they were sore. Kurama and Nuema were halfway down with their abilities. Botan was still able to heal injuries, having only expended very little of her energy. Even she was running weak. Not to mention there was that human that would only prove to be a liability. If there was anything over C-class in that room, they were screwed over pretty badly.

She walked over to Keiko and Yukina. "Yukina, put on that charm I gave you. You there, human, if you need protection hold onto your stone of spirit and say Nisu. It means protect and a barrier should form. Hopefully you can manage it until someone can help you." Yukina pulled the bracelet from her obi and put it on. Also from under the blue cloth she pulled her stone. Keiko pulled her spirit stone from her pocket.

The entire rest of the group reeled from the sharp tone of her voice after the long silence since the three had been rescued. Marishi looked at the one door between them and the horde. Everyone else stared at it with varying forms of apprehension. Yusuke looked back at Kurama.

"So, do you have any tactics, fox boy?"

"You're looking for one, Yusuke? He sighed as he concentrated. "I'd suggest one of the more able fighters protecting Keiko, Yukina, Botan and Mother. The rest will have to take on everything else."

Nuema raised her hand, "I'll take protection duty then." She shrugged, "Unless you don't trust me, Kurama."

"No." Shiei walked forward towards the door. She rolled her eyes.

"It's only a thousand demons. I've killed more then that."

A smirk lingered on Nuema's face. "Well then, Miss. Arrogance, let's go." Yusuke walked over to the door and opened it. When the door opened they saw the swarm of demons they had been expecting. Shiori nearly collapsed to her knees. The group poured out into the room. Nuema helped Shiori into the room. The door closed behind them of its own accord. When she tested the door to open it a second later it wouldn't budge.

Nuema loosed her katana and looked around for the others. They had been lost to the horde that poured in from the other doors in the room. As demons came near the four they fell into an increasingly larger and larger pile.

Yusuke had only gathered enough aura during the morning hours to fire three rei gun blasts. For most of the battle he relied on brute strength to destroy the demons, which was fading fast. Still he cleared ever-lengthening path through the swarm. Kuwabara was also relying on brute strength. He didn't have enough energy to summon his spirit sword and hold it for very long. The nights of countless demons over the months had trained him for longer and strength consuming battles. Hiei, Shiei and Marishi relied on their swords to help them clear the crowd. Kurama had pulled a rose seed out of his hair the instant the mob had surrounded him. The rose quickly bloomed under his power and then the whip that came after tore all the demons apart.

After a few minutes and the number of demons had decreased by only a quarter he cleared a path towards the group that couldn't fight. As his whip destroyed yet another demon he managed to make it in front of them. He cleared the area with the green thorny vine. Nuema looked up at him silently thankful. He nodded his head at her and put his hand on his mother's shoulder.

"Are you alright, Mother?"

"Yes, Shuuichi." Shiori had been tossed into the strongest sense of confusion since the kidnapping. A girl with aquamarine cried gems, her son spoke of demons, another girl had the ability to heal injuries, her son also could pick a lock, use a thorny vine as whip, and demons actually did exist. It was almost too much for her to take. In fact, it probably would have been had Kurama stopped being the polite young man she had always perceived him as. She knew he took long vacations away from home, and never explained them. Whenever he returned from one of his disappearances he was always injured in some fashion, and none of the commonplace excuses he used quelled her mother's intuition. She knew he had a secret he didn't want her to know. However, she had never expected something on such a large scale.

"Alright, mother." Kurama had seen the strain in her eyes, but accepted her answer. He turned as a demon came up behind him and stared emotionlessly at it.

"Ah, Kurama. So this is your human mother I've heard so much about. You don't mind if I eat her?" Shiori gasped.

"You've also heard of what I did to the last demon that tried to use her as a weakness."

"No, I haven't."

Kurama cracked his whip. This low-life had no right to living after such ignorance. '_Hey, Shuuichi, you're running out of energy. Can I come out?_'

"_No, Youko, I'd rather not. This is hard enough on Mother already._"

'_Fine, but when you black out, that's it._'

Kurama merely rolled his eyes. He looked over at Nuema and helped her defeat a wave of demons that came to the left side.

"How are you doing, Nuema?"

"Mhm, fine." She said in an offhand manner, slicing yet another fiend in half. "It's boring just running around her though."

"Perhaps we should switch places then?"

Nuema shook her head. "Only one weary fighter and four people to protect? That's the hard part. Feel free to help."

Shiori watched her son in complete shock. He seemed so detached and emotionless. At home he had always kept an air of silence and calm, yet she had never felt him as cold and heartless. Yet now, he was so obdurate. When that demon had spoken to him before, he was so callous, almost as if he didn't care. She closed her eyes, trying to remember things about her son. Things that could have told her about this, but she had ignored.

It was several more minutes until every demon had been cleared from the room. Kurama had run off to help Yusuke up. The spirit detective had collapsed after one too many punches. Shiei was resting in a corner, sword by her side, panting. Hiei stood, leaning against a wall. Although he refused to show signs of it, he was exhausted. Kuwabara was barely standing in the middle of the room. Marishi stood stubbornly and walked with a certain air of tire about her towards the group. Nuema was exhausted too. Botan and Yukina were running around the room trying to heal injuries.

She put her hand on Shiori's shoulder. She opened a brown eye.

"Mrs. Minamino? Is there something wrong?" The air around Shiori was especially disconcerting and had alerted her that there was something wrong.

"I...just don't know if Shuuichi is my boy anymore. He's so different here. I always knew there was something strange, he never made friends and avoided contact with people...but..."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Minamino. He'll explain it to you later, just like he said. But I'll tell you that he is your son and cares a lot about you. Just, on the battlefield, it's different is all." she laid her sword to rest next to her and sighed, relaxing against the wall.

Kurama walked towards them slowly, hindered both by his own exhaustion and helping Yusuke along. At the sound of a jeering laugh they turned to look at one of the many doors the demons had come from.

"Well, I was expecting you to take much longer with that task. I still got the result I wanted." The originator of the clone stepped around the bodies. Her demonic aura was A-class. If they had to fight her, they would have difficulty winning. Shiei's head snapped up and her eyes narrowed. She grabbed the blade next to her. The ebony tip rested weakly on the ground.

"Kaisentei." She said under a growl. Her voice echoed and magnified in the large empty room.

"Well, hello. I thought you had died. At least I'll have the pleasure of killing you myself this time."

Boo! Man you must be pissed about that ending. Have a nice day.


	15. Fights and Sisters

We're almost there...

.:Chapter Fifteen:. Fights and Sisters

At the sound of a jeering laugh everyone turned to look at one of the many doors that the demons had come from.

"Well, I was expecting you to take much longer with that task. Still, I got the result I wanted." The originator of the clone stepped around the bodies. Her demonic aura was A-class. If they had to fight her, they would have difficulty surviving a minute. Shiei's head snapped up and her eyes narrowed. She grabbed the blade next to her. The ebony tip rested weakly on the ground when she stood.

"Kaisentei." She said under a growl. Her voice echoed and magnified in the large empty room.

"Well, hello. I thought you had died. At least I'll have the pleasure of killing you myself."

Everyone stood up and looked at her. Most were hunched over and tired. All their injuries were gone, every last scratch and cut. However they were mentally and physically exhausted. They knew, and denied, the fact that there was no way they could win right now against the demon. All of their energy was nearly exhausted and they really just didn't want to fight.

"You made us all weaker by waiting until the full moon and having us fight a swarm of demons before fighting you. Coward." Nuema said, angered. She would have yelled or snapped at her, but she was far too tired to do so. No one, except Shiei, had the strength to glare or growl at her.

"Well, there was really no other way." Kaisentei looked over at the group behind Nuema. She closed her eyes and lifted a hand. "Saiji sanaka taina." An orb of fire gathered around her raised palm and shot itself towards the group. It was large enough to incinerate everyone in that area. Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke and Kuwabara started to jump out of the way.

When the orb of flames dissipated all eyes went wide. There was half of a translucent dome around the group. It glowed with a golden energy. It touched the floor and the wall. Where it did the stone was charred and blackened for a foot. Both of Nuema's hands were raised, palms being the origin of the barrier. Her arms fell and her head bowed. Her eyes were barely opened. Her breaths were ragged, deep and short.

Shiei shouted over at the girl, "Take a break. Humans like you are too weak for this fighting." Shiei pulled off the michiyuki she had neglected to remove before.

Kaisentei smirked as she thought of something. "Is that your friend, Shiei?" When the daggered eyes fixed on her, the more able demon shrugged. "If that's a no, then I guess you won't mind if I kill her." Before Shiei had closed the distance between them by half, Kaisentei had cast another spell. "Seibanki." the little aura force that Nuema had remaining quickly drained. Her eyebrows were knitted in complete agony as her energy was siphoned away. Shiei stopped and turned to face the human.

"Shanaca tela!" she had raised her left hand towards Nuema. The girl's face became a mixture of relief and pain as she fell to the floor. If looks could kill, Kaisentei would have died a horrible painful death when Shiei turned towards her again. She had pulled her left hand towards her body and fisted it. "If that killed her..." she said in a barely audible voice.

"I guess you did mind after all." Kaisentei remarked more to herself then anyone else. She sidestepped a swing from Shiei's sword with remarkable ease. Shiei continued to run for five yards after missing. Her back faced Kaisentei, eyes focused on her friend. She couldn't sense any energy, even the amount acquired for life, from her. She closed her eyes, shoulders shaking in anger. Chaotic sparks flew from the center of her forehead, an evil eye opened. The iris was a dark purple and there were red veins near the corner of the eye.

"You've gotten weak, Shiei. I don't believe that you were able to kill our uncle with the power you have now." Kaisentei looked over at Nuema. "That and you've grown soft."

Shiei's eyes had narrowed into a squint. "I'm going to kill you for that." After all of her anger from before, the normal tone she used for the statement made everyone more nervous then from before.

The irises of her eyes pulsated between a scarlet and sanguine shade. After a second they settled for the latter. The whites of her eyes gained a light dusting of red. Her normally peach colored skin became green. Diamond shaped scars formed on her arms and cheeks. Her ears pointed back as she developed claws and fangs. The weak hair tie ripped from the demonic aura she produced, allowing her lengthy black tresses to free themselves from their braid. She turned around slowly to face Kaisentei. The black rose necklace had found its way around her neck.

Her eyes were focused on the demon before her. When she spoke it was directed at the others. "This is my fight. Stay. Out."

With that statement she turned to face Kaisentei. She lifted her sword and charged at the demon. Kaisentei dodged by a hairsbreadth. Kaisentei opted to physically attack Shiei in the close range as opposed to using magic. The fist that impacted the side of Shiei's face sent her back by three feet. Kaisentei landed and jumped back by another three feet.

The two demonic relatives, which was assumed from Kaisentei's previous statement, stood there glowering at each other. They each paced to the side and circled around an invisible point between them for three steps.

Kaisentei flicked her hand at Shiei, uttering another spell. "Disuko saijan." a glowing disk of condensed fire formed between her index and thumb. She tossed it at Shiei. Shiei used her sword to slice the disc in two. The halves fell beside her, melting the stone floor. Her sword had heated only a little from the contact with the disk.

Shiei charged again at Kaisentei. This time she tried a different stroke then before. It brought the same results regardless. Kaisentei managed to dodge the sharpened end and landed a punch on Shiei's shoulder. Instead of being sent back she used her sword to slice open Kaisentei's left shoulder. Then she allowed herself to slide three feet back.

This process of spell casting, swinging, dodging, and trading blows continued for several minutes. Shiei started to get fed up with the battle. This allowed Kaisentei to hit her hard with a spell that sent her sliding backwards several yards. Shiei looked back at Kaisentei as she tried to get up. She stared as the large fireball that Kaisentei had used before came at her. Apparently it had been sent in the wake of the first spell, which had distracted her. Shiei grumbled. She didn't have enough time to move to dodge the blast.

She lifted up her left hand as the right one tightened its grip on the bandage-covered hilt. "Shaca**,**" a large mirror-like shield formed in front of Shiei. It reflected the attack right back at Kaisentei at double the original speed. Shiei quickly got to her feet.

When it came near her, Kaisentei didn't move to dodge the reflected spell. Instead she cast the same spell so it shot right back at Shiei. The altered demon had expected as much. So when she had gotten up she had been able to jump over the fiery sphere and land near Kaisentei.

Shiei forsake her sword, tossing it to her left hand. A black flame surrounded her bandaged limb. She curled her right hand into a fist and aimed a punch right at Kaisentei's face. Kaisentei dodged a direct hit and instead the flames swiped her cheek, burning the skin and filling her nerves with pain. She made no reaction to the demonic flames and flicked her hand at Shiei. Fire lanced out of her palm to the demon and hit her arm.

She groaned and ran forwards, readying her sword to deliver a blow. Kaisentei side jumped the strike and took a reigun bolt to the shoulder. Both combatants looked over to Yusuke. He had shot one of his two remaining reigun bullets at her. Not only that but he had turned into his alternative demonic state.

Shiei snarled at Yusuke, "I said that this was my fight, detective."

"Yeah, so? Think we're just going to hang around and watch for the next five hours? You've gotta be kidding me!"

Kuwabara walked up, "Yeah, we help our friends in battle."

Shiei rolled her eyes, "Don't be a fool. You can't hit girls because of your code in the first place. Also, you don't have any energy."

"So? I've still gotta help."

Shiei gained an expression that could have been described as saying "What an idiot." Shiei pulled out her sword, "Your blood is not on my hands." All the while she was thinking of nasty things to do to the two for interfering in her fight. It was likely to be a very long time before she stopped being angry at them for interfering. She glared in a bored fashion at Kaisentei and charged. Kuwabara started to run in, but Kurama stopped him.

"What Shiei said is true, Kuwabara. You shouldn't involve yourself."

'_What about you, Shuuichi? Are you up for battling her? Yusuke's going to run out of aura soon, so are you._'

"_Youko..._"

'_Your mom is only going to find out about me later when you explain everything to her._'

"_Alright, fine._" when Kurama looked over at his mother the expression on his face could only have been described as apologetic. His eyes closed and when they opened again they were a hazel golden color. His body had grown several inches and his hair turned a brilliant silver shade. His normal human ears had faded, only to be replaced by two silver fox ears on top of his head. His fingers had grown claws and he now sported a tail. His tunic had faded to a white color; the material became a thick demonic cloth. Shiori stared in horror and shock at his new form. '_I'm sorry, Mother._'

"_Now that I'm out, mind being quiet, Shuuichi?_"

Youko walked forwards towards the battlefield. He held his hand poised in the air. A silver glow formed and dissipated to reveal a silver rose. He cast his hand holding the rose to the ground and it formed a stronger and longer whip then Kurama had been using. Shiei caught a glimpse of Youko as she landed from a counter strike from Kaisentei. She growled, "_Not the fox too._" She ignored him and went in to strike at Kaisentei once more.

Kaisentei dodged Shiei's strike. Since their initial declaration of helping her out, no one had done a thing to help Shiei in her fight. Yusuke was standing, trying to get a good shot at Kaisentei. The aura of his last shot was gathered around the tip of his finger and he definitely did not want to waste it.

Once Shiei had been brushed aside once more by a spell he fired the shot. The bolt was on target, until Kaisentei noticed it, that was. "Shaca!" The bolt was sent flying back at Yusuke at twice its original velocity and he jumped to the side to dodge it.

"Damn!" He shouted as the bolt exploded against the stonewall, sending some debris flying at him.

Just as Shiei was reeling from the blow, Youko used the whip to send a series of attacks at Kaisentei. Kaisentei had not been expecting the fiercer fresher opponent. She hadn't even noticed the tall fox youkai during her fighting with Shiei. She was just barely able to avoid most of the blows from the whip.

Shiei caught herself from a bad landing with her right hand. She looked down at the appendage and took note of the bandaging wrapped around her entire right arm. She smirked as she thought of something, the black and white dragon head on the back of her hand seemed to dance as she pulled the thick beige wraps off the limb they were wound around.

Black, white and gray energy beams shot off of her arm like bolts of electricity. They connected to the walls, floor, and ceiling. Hiei looked up from where he was with the group. He had hated standing around, but he knew that Shiei wouldn't appreciate it if he had helped; besides, it was stupid and useless for him to try. He recognized the attack she was summoning and motioned for everyone to get up. Then without further thought he ran out of front door, Yukina followed him and Kuwabara followed her. Yusuke ran out with Keiko. Marishi got up and ran out of the door as well.

The fox waited until he heard the lightning like bolts cause explosions in the other floors before relenting on Kaisentei. He dropped the whip and ran over to the remaining two, other then Shiei and Kaisentei. He crouched down and forced several black vines to grow and intertwine around them in a dome shape. Youko hadn't been after killing Kaisentei; he didn't feel like facing a pissed off Shiei. However he had meant to distract Kaisentei so Shiei could finish her.

Kaisentei turned to face Shiei the moment Youko had left. Her eyes widened in shock. Just then there was a loud crashing sound as the entire castle collapsed around them. The people outside the castle watched to see who came out unscathed. When all the dust settled around the original battle arena there were two domes, and Shiei.

When the castle had crashed, Kaisentei had cast a barrier spell around herself and the debris that fell on the dome gathered around the edge and rolled down to Kaisentei's feet when she turned the barrier off. The other dome was the one Youko had created, and it was the same story when the vines disappeared into the floor. The energy from Shiei's arm, which was by now coated in large black and scarlet flames, had forced most of the stones back away from the field. Although several floors out of the original thirty had still come crashing down on them. The bolts of energy emanating from the black and red tattoo on her arm had destroyed any of the rubble that had come near her.

Shiei fisted her green hand, the bolts disappeared and the flames roared as they jumped to twice their original size. Shiei glowered at Kaisentei.

"This time, you will die," she pointed her flame-covered limb at Kaisentei. "Chaos Dragon Wave!" The fire rushed off her arm and took the form of a serpentine fire dragon. It opened its mouth as it flew towards Kaisentei. When it passed through and Shiei let her arm fall to her side, Kaisentei was gone. During the rush of flames and roar of the dragon, Shiei had barely been able to hear Kaisentei shout, "Shanakono tena scape!"

"One day, she will die." Shiei tried to spit out angrily, however with the panting and the fact that she couldn't say more then one word a second it sounded more tired then angry. Shiei fell to her knees as she pulled the ebony necklace off of her neck. She collapsed to her knees and turned back to normal.

* * *

Ah, there we go, enjoy. Oh, and yeah...I really don't know why I like having two sisters trying to kill each other, because if you'll notice, I did that in the last one too. I guess it's just because the two brothers killing each other is old and stuff, along with the apprentice and master thing

And all of the awkward languages will be explained and translated at the end of the story


	16. Forgotten

Wait. What? I didn't forget about this story? DAMN STRAIGHT.

Enjoy

* * *

!-Chapter Sixteen-! Forgotten

Youko looked down at Nuema as soon as the Chaos Dragon had disappeared.

'_Is she dead?_'

Youko smirked and laughed at Kurama in his head, "_You really were concerned, weren't you, Shuuichi?_"

'_That's not an answer, Youko._'

For an answer the fox spirit decided to give Kurama his body back. Kurama sighed and continued to look down at Nuema with concern. When he was able to spot her breathing he looked back at his mother, who was just staring at him. He shook his head.

"I'll explain after we get home, Mother. This world is too dangerous to spend much longer in."

Nuema sluggishly pushed herself into a sitting position. "Yeah. The chaotic energy from that dragon probably attracted even dead demons here. That and these blasted stones." She noted as a sparkling red gem fell from her blue gi.

Shiori shivered and stood up, "What...what was that thing?"

Kurama stood up as well, "It's a demonic attack." Nuema tried to stand, but found her joints too stiff and muscles too weak to complete the action. Kurama helped her up and let her lean on his shoulder. "You know," he said as the three walked towards Shiei. The people that had run outside the castle before it had fallen were walking there too, "most of us were under the impression you were dead."

Nuema snickered at the thought, "You're joking, right? Marishi would have been very angry if I had died. Considering an outside force supposedly killed me. Besides, Botan would've seen my ghost as well and told you all."

"That's true, but there wasn't any aura around you."

"Well," she said as they neared the demon that had fallen to her knees, "you can't predict the future, right?" At this Kurama nodded, he knew this fact very well, "Seeing as last year I nearly had all of my energy wiped clean, I thought that it was possible it could happen again. I decided it would have been best if I locked some of my energy away, a mere fraction. But enough to keep me alive if the rest was stolen. Considering the nature of the spell, I'm not that surprised that no one sensed it." She paused and asked a question, "You didn't think I was dead, did you?"

Kurama shook his head, "No, of course not." Nuema smiled to herself, although she couldn't read his mind anymore, she could still sense from his expression and eyes that he was lying. "What?"

"Nothing. I believe you."

When everyone was gathered around the demon they noticed that she had her eyes closed. Yusuke was the first to speak, he had turned back to normal, "Hey, Shiei." she ignored him, "Come on, Shiei."

Hiei was the first to speak. "Fool, that dragon used up the last of her energy that she could waste like that. She's not awake."

Yusuke sighed in relief. "Good, I thought she was going to kill me or something for interfering."

Hiei smirked, "Oh, she will."

"Great..."

Marishi rolled her eyes, "Why don't we continue talking in the human world?" the demon pointed to a swarm of demons heading right for the castle. The energies had attracted many indeed. Everyone hurriedly nodded to her. She lifted both arms and closed her eyes, facing the group, "Dasen'as moche iue sere," here she paused and fisted her hands, "Ningenkai."

The ground opened up to the vortex like it had before. They fell down and just as the swarm came to the area they had been in a moment before it closed.

The group came back into existence in the park they had left over three hours prior. Shiori looked around, confused. Hiei jumped into a nearby tree.

"I suggest you all leave before Shiei wakes up." Everyone nodded to themselves. She was apt to be very irritable when she woke up. Nuema whispered to Kurama before the group left the clearing.

"Kurama...I could erase your mom's memories of the incident and replace them with something else."

Kurama looked over at his mother. Could he continue to lie to her for the rest of her life? Even after he stopped aging? The answers to his questions were no, but he didn't think he wanted her to remember what she had just witnessed. She looked terrible, shaky, and frightened. He looked down at the brunette and nodded.

Nuema sighed as she prepared herself. She stood on her own and pulled out the potion that Kurama had given to her for Christmas. She removed the cork and drained half the contents. Kurama wondered if she required that much of the draught for this one act.

Nuema muttered a few words to herself very low. They were so quiet that even Kurama, who was less then a foot away, didn't hear them. She looked up, "Hey, guys, I just wanted to say one thing:" everyone turned to look at her, except Shiei, "Jinsen kan tamen." The group froze in place, eyes widening and losing their pupils and sheen. Small orbs of light came from each person, more from Kurama then anyone else. Nuema had outstretched her hand and all the glowing spheres gathered above her palm. Several more came from her body, along with some that were in her palm and were absorbed in everybody. The orb in her hand solidified into a glass-like substance, inside it swirled gases of black and purple.

Marishi swept the motes that came near her away. She looked over at Nuema, "You do realize that spell won't work on me."

"Yes, you're part of the race that invented ancient demon magic."

"Good. Why did you use that spell?"

"I don't want them to remember me. I have to leave and I'd rather not have them remember anything at all."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to a university pretty far from here. I could use the break."

"Why make them forget?"

"I don't know...I'd just rather them not remember. Why do you care in the first place?"

"Curiosity." She leaned against a tree, "Do as you see fit with that." Suddenly she said something, "Do you know who the previous owner of the spirit stone was?"

"No...who was it?"

"I believe it was your little brother, he had a striking resemblance to you. He died because his body couldn't hold the strain of the bond between him and the stone. Even though he had the aura enough to."

Nuema smiled weakly, "I hope the same doesn't happen to Keiko. Thanks, but why did you tell me that?"

"Because, I thought you might like to know. In any case, you've got Delis's spirit, that's the only way you could have known that spell."

Nuema turned and slowly walked from the clearing. She would have gone faster, but she had had difficulties standing on her own. She called out behind her, "Yeah, thanks. I think that was my little brother."

Well, uh, there's chapter sixteen. That wasn't the last chapter. Why? Because, my subconscious will not let me leave that like it is.

Digi's special explanatory footnotes:

1. Continuation/edit of Chapter nine's first footnote. When Youko entered Kurama's body when he was a baby, it was still before the soul had formed. However, Youko didn't do it quite right, being in a hurry and injured, so he accidentally took the spot of the connection. So, the body was still soul-less. Shuuichi's soul formed later on, however, because Youko was there, his soul gained the memories, and some of personality, i.e the calm collectiveness, of Youko. That's what I meant by addled. Also, when Youko entered, he gave Shuuichi's body some of his own abilities. That's why Shuuichi has a good sense of smell and everything. Shuuichi just says he's the same as Youko most of the time to save himself some breaths.

2. As to why Youko always used the rose whip in my stories. This is very simple. I've never gotten to see the dark tournament. I don't know anything about Youko's fighting style, or abilities. So I make him use the rose whip.

3. If you read the prequel to this story, Two Halves, One Whole- Memories, then you're probably wondering why Nuema lost her ability to read minds. If you didn't read it, then you don't care. This is also is a simple explanation, I forgot, plain and simple. I was reading over one of the chapters where I said she could and smacked myself over the head. I try and keep that ability to a minimum in my stories, so, man, making her able read minds in the first place was stupid. There's a story to this. When Niema used that energy thing on her in the last chapter and forced Delis out, Nuema lost this ability. That's because Nuema never read minds, it was Delis who read minds from her place and told things to Nuema. When Delis was forced out she could no longer do this. So ha. But Nuema still has that uncanny ability to always know how people are feeling, it's called empathy.


	17. Epilouge

Ah, finally, the end

Ah, finally, the end. Now remember folks. This story jives with the last one...so you're likely to be confused otherwise with this if you didn't read the first two chapters of the last story.

On a second note...this has absolutely nothing to do with anything. Only read if you're curious as to what happens with the memory orb...and Nuema's past, don't worry- no angst, I've had it up to here with writing that -points to above head-. But there's more fluffy crap...because that's what my subconscious craves...although I tell it no. If you're not curious, I won't blame you, you can skip this and go down to the extra comments at the bottom...along with the translations at the end of the odd languages I used in here.

!-Chapter Seventeen-! Epilogue

The twenty-two year old shook his head as he looked down at the orb in his hands. His loose crimson locks got in front of his emerald eyes in the process. The shorter black haired male that had opened the door earlier pulled his hand away and shoved it into his pocket. The other two stood there a moment before retracting their hands as well.

They all looked over at the female that had spoken to them earlier. All of their memories had been returned within a few hours. The one with the terra cotta eyes spoke first.

"So why'd you come here to tell us that, Shiei?"

She pushed a few of her uncooperative bangs out of her eyes. They just fell right back in place. "Because I was asked to, detective."

"So why don't you feel a pull towards that thing?" The one with the carrot shaded hair asked?

"My memories were never removed, I was asleep at the time, in case you already forgot, idiot."

One of her black boots found it's way to the windowsill. She was stopped from leaving by the red haired one speaking, "Shiei...Nuema dropped this earlier. Is she still in town?"

"Hn. Use that stone of yours to find her, fox. She still has it." With that she became a flutter of the black over coat she wore, and then not even that. Hiei followed suit. Soon a black haired woman in her mid forties entered the room. She looked at the one with red hair.

"Shuuichi, I was wondering if your friends were staying for dinner."

"Sorry, but I've gotta go. I'm going out with Keiko tonight." The one with the slicked back black hair said as he walked out of the door. The one with orange hair shook his head as well.

"I've got to study. Me and Urameshi only came to talk about something." He soon followed Yusuke's footsteps and out the door. Kurama stood up, pocketing the orb.

"There's something I need to do, Mother. I'll be back later." He walked over to his closet and put on a light jacket. She nodded and walked out of the door. Whatever he had needed to do, it must have been important from the serious expression on his face.

He walked out of the house and was greeted shortly there after by Hiei after walking only a yard from his house.

"Kurama."

Kurama nodded his head at the fire demon, "What is it, Hiei? I'm pretty sure you hadn't come to talk."

"Actually, I wanted to ask you a question."

"Sure, Hiei. What was it?"

The shorter younger appearing demon looked troubled with the question that he wanted to ask. After a few minutes he managed to ask it. "Several years ago you were in love with that human, Maya. How did you feel around her?"

Kurama thought as he walked, Hiei was waiting rather impatiently for an answer. "Different, I suppose. I just felt different talking to her, and wanted to keep talking to her for a long time. Sometimes I wasn't able to stop thinking about her, even when she wasn't around. Why, Hiei?" His green eyes alighted on the far shorter demon. He was curious as to what had provoked the question from Hiei.

Hiei had continued walking, but was struck into a deep silence. He frowned after a while of contemplating, as if he didn't like what he had thought about. "That's been happening to me lately. I wanted to know the source. I don't think that's it."

Kurama twitched an eyebrow, "Around who? Shiei?"

Hiei frowned and looked up at Kurama, "That's none of your concern," he said, emphasizing the your. Then he jumped off into a nearby tree. Kurama sighed as his shorter friend left.

He walked on for a little bit. His feet were carrying him onward as he thought. He knew Shiei was right, he could find Nuema if he used his stone. He was contemplating whether or not he should. Nuema had taken his memories away for a reason, but he couldn't figure out what. He didn't even know what to do with the orb. His mother had forgotten the experience in demon world, so he didn't want her to find it and touch it. Eventually he realized where his feet were taking him, when he reached the top of a hill that over looked the bustling city.

He was surprised when he found out that he was not alone on the hill. Standing there was the woman from before, hands in her pockets as she looked at the town thoughtfully. A slight smile graced her features, a smile that appeared not to be of happiness Kurama noted to himself. She turned to look at him when he stopped walking. She held out a hand, but kept staring at the city.

"Kurama. Could I have the memory orb back?" she asked of him, not really needing to ask him if he had it on him. She knew him well enough.

Kurama pulled the glass appearing sphere out of his pocket, but procrastinated in handing it back to her. "Not if you're going to wipe my memories again, Nuema." His voice sounded somewhat angry.

Nuema scoffed, "Nah. Given up on that," she finally lifted her hazel eyes to look at him. "Admittedly, it was stupid of me in the first place."

The red head nodded in agreement. He flicked his wrist, the orb flew threw the air and landed in Nuema's out stretched palm. She closed the fist and pocketed it. Nuema could tell that Kurama was still a little angry with her, and she didn't blame him. "It's just that, when I was going to move from here four years ago, I wanted to leave without a trace. After a while I thought about it, and decided that I should come back. I was eventually going to let you see the orb."

Nuema had taken to looking back at the city. She turned to look at him again, "You've got to understand, Kurama...I was still pretty broken up about everything that had happened. When my parents said they were moving back to America, I didn't know what to do really, so I decided to go to college in America with them. I was going to tell you all before I left, but when I heard that you guys had been concerned when you thought I had died...I couldn't. I thought everyone would be worried about me, I didn't want that." a smaller smile found it was to her face, "It was probably wrong, though, that's why it was stupid. I shouldn't have messed with your memories. For that I apologize."

She let a small sigh escape from her, "What's been bothering me for a while is if any of you could forgive me when I told you all of that." She tilted her head to the side to study Kurama's face, "so, what I'd like to know is; can you?"

His glare disappeared and he nodded. Kurama walked forward several paces, stopping three yards shy of the girl. "What were you broken up about?"

Nuema closed her eyes and sighed, "Well, my brother's death, mainly. And the thought of losing the rest of my family, even if they were adopted."

"Adopted?"

She nodded and squared her shoulders, "Sure. I suppose you noticed that they were too young to be my real parents. Well, that and they both had very blonde hair...and shared almost nothing in appearance with me."

Kurama chuckled, "I had wondered about that when I first saw them." At that she had to smile as well. "So, why did you want to leave without a trace? I don't think it's as simple as you explained it."

She shrugged, "More idiocy, really. You see, I thought that if I left without you guys remembering me, I could leave without wanting to come back. That way I could remain unattached to you guys...and not pull the same mistake my biological mother did."

"What was that mistake?"

Nuema paused as she felt Kurama watching her silently. When she sensed that he was about to retract his question she spoke up. "I'm sorry, I was thinking about it, trying to gather it all in my head. This is a long explanation.

"It was about, sixteen years ago, after Taishu was born. I had started to refine my telekinetic powers, so that I could run from my father faster. He was normally drunk at home, and had a bad temper. You can guess where that's going, can't you. I don't need to explain that.

When I say my mother made a mistake, I don't mean I didn't respect her. I did, a lot. She was tough, and never cried or showed any sign of fear. I wanted to become just like her. I wasn't doing too bad either, I think. But that's me digressing. You see, she normally took the beatings from my father for me, and then my brother. One time I showed her that I could make things move, and barriers. After that I said that if we were to leave, I'd keep my dad from doing anything more to her.

"The hardest thing for me was that she said no. I didn't understand what she had meant by that. She told me that she never wanted to leave him. That she was still in love with him. Her mistake was pretty obvious to me; she had been blinded by love. She couldn't see past her love for him. She couldn't see him as the abusive freak that he was." When Kurama noticed that her shoulders were shaking he had thought that she had been crying. However, he noticed that talking about all of this had made her angry rather then sad. "I never want to have that happen to me. I don't want to be blinded by my emotions towards anyone to see them for what they are. That's the mistake I never want to repeat. That's why I thought it best if I never attached strings, anywhere."

It took Kurama a moment to speak. "So what became of her mistake?"

"She died. My father became so angry once that he fired a gun at her. It killed her slowly because he wouldn't call an ambulance. When the police arrived he was taken to jail, he's been there for the past while, and will be for a very long time. As much as I loved and respected my mother, I didn't cry once at the funeral. Except, I became rather...depressive. An American couple adopted me, they had been living in Japan for a few years. At that time they moved back to America for seven years. I met you all when they returned. When my brother died at year later, my last living relative was gone. It hurt a lot." She smiled to herself in irony and chuckled, "Want to know the funny thing about it?"

Kurama was in shock at how she could laugh after telling that story. Most people would have been in tears. He was curious as to why she was in such a pleasant state of affairs, "Sure, what?"

"Up until two or three years ago, I think they both were frowning at me. Mother had never wanted me to mourn her death, but I did. Taishu never wanted me to ever stay as closed to everyone else as he knew I was, but I have. He's probably still frowning at me." She laughed and looked up, "I hope he isn't," Nuema looked back at Kurama. "But this is me ranting. I'm glad you accepted my apology. I didn't mean to bite your ears off there, Kurama." She turned to leave.

Yes, that is the very end of that. Well, it probably isn't. There were several more things that I was going to add, but to avoid overly mushy, fluffy, romance type stuff, which I find overly cliché, I decided to cut it short. To appease my subconscious I will be writing a one shot sequel to this. Whether or not I add it online, is up to me and me alone.

Translations of the other languages Cercain and Shato:

Cercain used in the story:

Musai- Bind. Ch. 2

Musai'jai- binding. Ch. 2

Daken'jai- explosion. Ch. 10

Kan'as moche teu- Show me. Ch. 10

Nisu- To protect. Ch. 12

Anen- to disappear. Ch. 12

Dasen'as moche iue cansei humando- Return us to the human town Ch. 12

Sanin'as moche iue sere manen ter kan...- Bring us to level three of... Ch. 12

Sanin'as moche iue sere jukans- Bring us to the stones... Ch. 12

Dasen'as moche iue sere...- Return us to... Ch. 15

Jinsen kan tamen- Forget and remember Ch. 16

Shato used in the story:

Shunoonca- Idiot. Ch. 8

Tela conso'nei shunooncas- Stop staring idiots Ch. 8

Shanleconloteshafa -Return to point Ch. 12

Tecka sha quecote shanta'lo tenna, Shiei. Ca seta de calay shika conlote shefa stana quecote landela.-I see you found me, Shiei. It's so very good to hear from you again. Ch. 12

Shucka, Shiei, shucka. Sonte quecote shanna conlote shanta tenna, konlo shanatela shickcons, conace conlote Makai. Tecka siala lenda shien solateana lata. Quecote jahna sha-Temper, Shiei, temper. If you want to find me, and your friends, come to Makai. I'm in the third level. You'll see. Ch. 12

Tecka jahna dema teelo'nei conlote sha quecote lenda sholen. Tanaka jahna dema camalon. Shinta shanatena'co.- I'll be waiting to see you in person. They'll be alive. End transmission. Ch. 12

ShanagalendashiengalatalotonShatolonga- Open in the name of Shatolonga's killer Ch. 13

Saiji sanaka taina- Fire ball spell Ch.15

Seibanki - Energy drain spell Ch. 15

Shanaca tela- Cancel previous spell Ch 15

Disuko saijan- Fire disk spell Ch. 15

Shaca- Barrier spell Ch. 15

Shanakono tena scape- The escape spell. Ch. 15

Two Halves One Whole- Troubles extra comments by the author

Ah, where to start with this one? How about all the stuff I was planning to do in this series, originally...well there was what you've seen Memories and Troubles. Also probably appearing will be a one shot sequel: Finales. Then maybe if I'm in the mood: Middles, which was originally going to be titled, What Happened Then. That just sounds stupid.

Anyways, at a much later date I'll go through Memories and make alterations as I see fit. I'll also be going through Troubles. This is to make the two stories flow properly. I mean, man, do they suck as a two story series. That and Memories just doesn't jive with me, and Nuema's old character. It's jake in this one, but in the old story, good lord, such a bad character. Probably because I was still developing her at that time.

More about Nuema. I was originally intending on pairing her with Kurama...as you can obviously see. Now, I'm just not sure. We'll find out in Finales, I suppose. Trust me, I was getting as tired of the mushy stuff as you were reading these stories. I really, seriously, was.

!-Digi-!


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